A New Twist for Kongo Bongo
by DiddyKF1
Summary: Loosely based off the DKC Cartoon series. Manky Kong returns and poses a threat to Kongo Bongo by challenging the Kongs to a series of impossible tasks, with the winner's prize being the Crystal Coconut. However, hope seems small when Manky deliberately selects Diddy as the opponent against two young troublemakers. Can Diddy gather his bravery and defeat Manky's young minions?
1. Just another typical day on Kongo Bongo

_**I must say; it's about time I came up with another one of my own ideas! It has seemingly been forever since I last did that!**_

_**Well, having watched all of the Donkey Kong Country cartoon episodes, and looking through some of the first season episodes several times each, I've decided that I would come up with my own story for a cartoon episode! I would definitely prefer the characters' first season looks!**_

_**Anyways, I'm gonna shut up now, and without further ado, let the story begin!**_

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><p>The island of Kongo Bongo: a wonderful place for apes and simians alike, a place filled with thousands of bananas, a place widespread with swinging vines, and a dream island for all of Kong-kind.<p>

Among the many highlights of the island, none could compare to the Crystal Coconut, a magical crystal with such immense power. As Cranky Kong would put it, it was a fortune teller, a teleporter, a power supplier and a wish fulfiller. Anyone who possessed this Crystal Coconut would have the power to rule!

The Crystal Coconut was kept in a globe inside Cranky's Cabin, having been placed there by Donkey Kong, who was then named the "Future Ruler of Kongo Bongo". Ever since that grateful day, DK, along with his sidekick, Diddy Kong, would always be responsible for protecting the Coconut to keep Kongo Bongo safe from destruction, since the Kremlings would constantly try to snatch it from them.

No matter how many times the Crystal Coconut was stolen, the Kongs always succeeded in retrieving it for the good sake of their home island.

One sunny Friday morning, Cranky was in his Cabin, working on another one of his potions.

The old ape had a long beard that almost stretched down to the floor, and he had eyeglasses which improved his eyesight due to his old age. He also had a walking stick with him that he often used to open the globe containing the Crystal Coconut whenever he needed to use it.

Cranky had recently been told that DK had been dealing with some strange sickness, and he knew that if DK was sick then who would protect the Crystal Coconut?

Cranky barely ever relied on Diddy to protect the Coconut, since the little monkey was still considered a weakling, even though he did have some strengths that few had seen before, especially in his adventure he went on with DK to reclaim their banana hoard from King K. Rool, the master of all Kremlings.

Candy Kong was always busy working for his boss, Bluster Kong, at the Barrelworks. He rarely ever gave her a break, and she often had to force him to.

Funky Kong was often considered too obsessed with surfing to worry about the Coconut for long periods of time, so Cranky probably couldn't rely on him, either.

Therefore, the old codger knew that it was best that he completed his potion and used it to cure DK, so that Kongo Bongo could remain safe from K. Rool and his minions. Who knew when they would plot their next attack?

"Just another hint of banana juice," said Cranky as he poured a tiny drop of banana juice into his potion.

The liquid expanded into a bright yellow combination of multiple sources that were guaranteed to help DK.

"This is the perfect way to get DK out of his lumps," added Cranky as he poured the potion into a bottle and closed the top with a peg, "Don't you worry, Donkey Kong. One miracle of a cure coming right up!"

Meanwhile, in another part of the island, where there were fewer trees, there stood a small tree house with an elevator that led right into the single room.

This house was the home of Donkey Kong, the biggest and strongest ape in Kongo Bongo, and his best little buddy, Diddy Kong.

DK was a big ape with strong muscles, capable of knocking out even the toughest of enemy Kremlings. His only item of clothing consisted of a red necktie, with the letters' "DK" emblazoned on the bottom in yellow.

Diddy was a very small monkey who was in his early teens. He was seemingly the smallest Kong on the island, and often considered to be the weakest. His clothing consisted of a red sleeveless tank top that only went down to his waist, and a red baseball cap which he wore at all times, except for when he slept. He even had a tail which he could use to do certain things, although these certain things did not happen very often.

The relationship between these two Kongs were so strong that they were considered by others to be like brothers.

DK was lying on his hammock in a very lazy position. He had been coming down with a very bad cold which had left him coughing and sniffling in his bed all day yesterday, and it continued into this morning.

Diddy was sitting on a barrel right next to DK, trying to keep him company.

"Aw, Diddy, I wonder how long I'm gonna be dealing with this awful cold?" said DK in a depressed tone.

"Aww, don't worry, DK," said Diddy, patting DK's head, "I'm sure Cranky will have the cure ready for you anytime now. Surely, he must have it finished by now, considering that you've been sick in bed for over twenty-four hours."

"I sure hope you're right, little buddy," said DK, "I'm tired of just lazing around in bed with nothing to do, all because I'm sick. Ya never know when K. Rool or Scurvy might pop into Cranky's and try to steal the Crystal Coconut."

"Well, that's why you have me, big buddy," said Diddy, "Ya know, I can always get Funky to work with me so that we can keep the Coconut safe."

"Ya know, Diddy, you always do a good job trying to protect the Coconut when I can't," complimented DK, "It's really a good way to help you make a name for yourself after our banana hoard catastrophe."

Diddy often didn't like to be reminded of that dreadful adventure, but he knew that DK was just trying to make him happy, so he grinned at his best buddy, and the two held hands.

Just then, the doorbell rang from below the house.

"YO, DONKEY-DUDE!" shouted a voice from below the Kong pair.

"Hey, it's Funky!" said Diddy.

"Could you get the elevator, little buddy?" asked DK.

"No probs," answered Diddy.

The little monkey immediately jumped off the barrel he was sitting on, and he ran up to the elevator's control panel. Then, he smashed the 'up' button with all the strength his nimble body had.

The elevator came blasting upwards into the house, and there stood Funky Kong, the sun-glassed surfer of the Kongs, holding a potion bottle in his hand.

"Hey, it's the Donkey and Diddy-dudes!" said Funky in an excited tone.

"Hey, Funky!" greeted Diddy, "How nice of you to drop by."

"How nice to spend a little quality time with the hero duo of Kongo Bongo!" replied Funky.

The surfer turned to DK.

"Hey, Donkey-dude! I got something for ya!" said Funky as he walked up to DK's hammock, "This will wipe out all of your negative chills!"

"I sure hope it will," said DK, then he turned his eyes to the bottle, "What is that stuff?"

"The aging-type dude gave me a call and sent me to give you this," explained Funky, "It's what he calls the 'miracle drug of your sickness'!"

"A miracle drug?" said DK with an annoyed look, "Tell me he was just kidding when he said it was a drug."

"Negative, dude," replied Funky, "This will bring you back into the swing of things! Now, let's see ya enjoy this miracle-of-a-lifetime!"

DK sat up in his hammock and slowly took the bottle from Funky.

"Are you sure it will work, Funky?" asked Diddy as he walked up to the two apes.

"It most certainly will, Junior-dude! Why, watch this!" said Funky.

DK popped the peg off the bottle and poured the potion into his mouth.

"It doesn't taste so bad," the ape commented as he swished it around his mouth before swallowing it.

"Ooh, boy! DK, look!" said Diddy excitedly as he noticed DK's face turn back to normal, "Your face is back to normal!"

DK began to feel his lungs clear up, and in no time his coughing had also stopped. He had begun to feel strong again.

"YEAH, HAA!" yelled DK in excitement, "I FEEL SO GREAT!"

"YIPPEE!" shouted Diddy happily.

"I told ya the old codger-dude knew what he was doing!" commented Funky.

DK jumped off his hammock for the first time in almost a day, and he immediately embraced Funky in a hug.

"Oh, thank ya so much, Funky! Thank you!" shouted DK as he eccentrically hugged Funky.

"Don't thank me, Donkey-dude! Thank the aging dude for making ya this stuff!" replied Funky.

"You really should, big buddy!" agreed Diddy, "You're finally back to your good ol' strong self again! Get ready to kick some reptile butt! That is: if there are any reptiles trying to steal the Coconut."

"I will, little buddy," said DK, looking down at Diddy and smiling at him, "Wait! Better yet: WE will be kicking reptile butt … together!"

"Now that's the way I like to hear it! HA, HA!" said Diddy, smiling back up at DK.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, dudes, but I've got some waves to catch!" chuckled Funky, "I'll be seeing ya later!"

"Bye, Funky!" said DK and Diddy together.

"No problem, dudes! Surfs up! HA, HA!"

With that, Funky smashed the 'down' button on the elevator before stepping inside. Seconds later, he was gone.

"Oh, boy, DK!" said Diddy excitedly, "I'm so glad you're feeling better! Why don't we go outside and have some fun, … or see how Cranky's doing?"

"I'm glad to hear that you're very happy for me, little Diddy-buddy," said DK, and he lifted Diddy by his sides and hugged him around the back, "It's time once again to show how much of a great duo we are!"

"You couldn't have said that any better, DK!" agreed Diddy, hugging his buddy around the neck in return.

"Well, little buddy, let's go to Cranky's," said DK.

"Sure thing, big pal!" agreed Diddy.

The duo ended their brotherly hug, and DK set Diddy back on his feet.

Then, Diddy walked up to the elevator's control panel and pressed the 'up' button to let the elevator back in the house, then he pressed 'down' just before walking into the elevator with DK.

Finally, the brotherly duo were descending out of the house and down to the ground below.

"BANANAAAA SLAMAAAA!" they screamed together as they ran off into the jungle.

Meanwhile, Cranky was reading one of his old books when a knock came on his door.

"Huh!? Who is it!?" he roared harshly.

"Just here to return your bottle, dude!" came the answer.

Cranky recognized the voice as Funky's, and he wrestled himself to the door and opened it.

Funky came walking into the Cabin in some groovy style with the empty bottle in his hand.

"So, how did it go? Did it work?" asked Cranky, wanting to know if his potion succeeded in curing DK.

"It most certainly did, ancient dude! It was an epic success! DK's got himself up and about again with his pal, Diddy!" said Funky as he walked up to Cranky's potion table and placed the empty bottle back where it belonged.

"Well, at least we'll be confident, knowing that the Crystal Coconut will be safe now that Donkey Kong's healthy again," said Cranky.

"Indeed, we most certainly will!" agreed Funky as he turned back towards the door and walked out, "I'll be catching ya later, dude!"

Cranky refused to answer, and instead simply banged the door shut so that he could go right back to his quiet reading. He was very relieved that his potion had cured DK, and now he could rely on him again to protect the Crystal Coconut.

The old codger's peacefulness didn't last long, though …

About ten minutes later, there came another knock on his door.

Cranky was instantly infuriated by the sound of his door being knocked on. He really didn't enjoy having company too much.

"Okay, who is it this time? Whoever it is, I will certainly be happy by the time you-"

The ape opened the door and noticed a very familiar face which had heavily disgraced him many years ago.

"- … l-l-leave."

Cranky almost couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the figure standing at his doorway.

The figure was an orangutan with long, spiked arms, covered in brown fur. There was a goatee sticking down from his chin, and there was a line of gray fur above his eyes and around his ears.

"M-M-Ma-Man-Manky Kong!?" shouted Cranky as he came close to having a heart attack, "What are you doing in my Cabin!?"

"Oh, stop your chattering, old man!" retorted Manky, "I have come to settle things with you … in a dirty way!"

"The only thing we'll be settling is your trip back to the Orang-utan Jungle!" shouted Cranky.

Fearing that he was helpless on his own, the old ape cleared his throat and let out a loud yell …

"DOOOOOOONKEEEEEEEY KOOOOOOOONG!"

"Do you really think that pathetic ape could possibly hear you from so far away?" said an unconvinced Manky, "You have no one to turn to!"

But Manky was wrong …

Within a few seconds, there came the sound of another loud scream …

"BANANAAAAAAA SLAMMAAAAA!"

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong came crashing to the ground right behind Manky and did some threatening poses.

"Well, well, if it isn't Donkey Kong and his little lightweight weakling, Diddy!" teased Manky, "If ya want a battle, I am sorry to say that it's not what I'm here for!"

"Too bad for you, Manky!" said Diddy, "The only thing you'll be asking for whenever you bother Cranky is a beating!"

"Give it up, Manky!" added DK, "You're never getting your hands on the Crystal Coconut!"

The ape charged his fist and prepared to punch Manky out for the count.

"Oh, but I'm not here for your Crystal Coconut, either. Not … yet!" said Manky.

"Well then, what are you here for!?" asked Cranky furiously.

"Well, well, well, now that you've finally asked, I have a tiny proposition to make with all of you," answered Manky.

"Huh!?" said DK and Diddy.

DK calmed his fist and opened it.

"That's right, you loser-Kongs," continued Manky, "I have come to offer you a little challenge, so to speak."

"What kind of challenge?" asked DK as he and Diddy gave Manky suspicious looks.

"I was just getting to that," replied Manky.

With that, the orangutan stepped away from the cabin and cleared his throat.

"Oh, dear. This can't be good," whispered Diddy to DK.

The ape wrapped an arm around his little buddy's back to keep him calm.

"OH, FELLOW PRIMATES OF MINE!" yelled Manky with his hands in front of his cheeks, looking as if he was giving a call.

Cranky stood next to DK and Diddy as two smaller primates suddenly appeared, swinging on the very few vines that hung on the trees.

The two small primates took a big jump and dived straight towards Cranky's Cabin.

Once the duo came down, their ferocious looks seemed to slightly startle DK and Cranky, but Diddy's eyes grew very wide. He knew who these kids were …

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><p><em><strong>And so, the new twist is about to begin! Could this challenge pose a threat to the Crystal Coconut, and in turn pose a threat to all of Kongo Bongo? What part do Manky's new kid partners have to do with his plan against the Kongs?<strong>_

_**This may only be the beginning of it all, but soon we shall be led into the true heart of Kongo Bongo's new threat.**_

_**Anyways, I'll be seeing you later, when we get to the heart of the plot.**_


	2. Manky's proposal

_**Now, this is where we really get into the thick of things! Let's find out what Manky's got in store …**_

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><p>Two menace-looking Kongs walked up from behind Manky and stopped right in front of the group of heroes.<p>

The first minion was a young gorilla, with brown fur, whom looked pretty strong for his age, as if he was a miniature version of Donkey Kong, with the exception that he was very unfriendly and selfish, and that he did not wear a necktie.

The second minion was an orangutan, like Manky, albeit smaller in stature, and he had light brown fur and average muscles.

Both minions towered over Diddy by a small size difference.

Manky looked around and put a suspicious look on his face.

"I thought there was one more," said Manky, "Where is he?"

"Our squirrel monkey partner decided not to come," said the young gorilla.

"She was in no mood for this," added the young orangutan, "Thought it was a waste of time."

"Well, in that case, two is just fine, yes!" said Manky.

The villains turned back to the Kongs and gave them evil looks.

"Well, well, who do we have here?" teased the evil gorilla, "A mad scientist."

Cranky simply humphed at the gorilla's comment, ignoring the insult.

"A pathetic ape," the orangutan teased DK.

The so-called "Future Ruler" simply crossed his arms and looked away.

However, once the bullies turned to Diddy, they were immediately ready to throw the worst insults at him.

"And, of course, we have the stupid weakling who can't even use his body for anything!" teased the gorilla.

Not wanting to look like a coward again, Diddy glared angrily at his enemies and shouted, "Whatever!"

"So you're admitting you're too weak to even lift a feather!" shouted the orangutan.

The two bullies laughed harshly and pointed their fingers at Diddy, as the young spider monkey grew into a rage after being insulted like that, even in front of DK and Cranky.

"I am not admitting that I'm too weak to lift a feather!" shouted Diddy.

"Perhaps because you don't want to look so stupid as you were on your adventure with that big buddy of yours!" the gorilla shot back.

"You mind as well just start acting like a cowardly crybaby, because that's exactly what you are!" added the orangutan.

"SHUT UP!" screamed Diddy.

"Why should we? We all know that you're such a scaredy cat that you can't even fight against a tiny insect!" teased the gorilla.

"ENOOOOUUUUGH!" screamed Cranky, and he walked in between the two groups and signaled for the bullies to stop the laughter, "BREAK IT UP, WILL YA!?"

The Kongs all grew wide-eyed from Cranky's sudden actions, then the old ape rejoined DK and Diddy.

"Now what do ya want, and why are these troublemakers here!?" asked Cranky angrily.

"Well, that's a good question, Cranky!" replied Manky, "I was originally going to just break in and snatch the Crystal Coconut, but then I met these young boys. Then, once we discovered what we have in common, we've decided to form an alliance and fight for the Coconut in a more clever kind of way."

"What kind of way?" asked DK, "You'll just prove yourselves wimps regardless!"

"This will not involve anything like that!" shouted Manky, much to the disbelief of the heroes.

"Then, what does it involve!?" asked Diddy.

"You see, knowing what we could do to gain an easy advantage over you pathetic apes, we have come to offer you a challenge," said Manky.

"What kind of challenge? This had better be something that can be done in a snap!" said Cranky.

"It's nothing that can be done in a snap," said Manky.

"We're challenging you to a series of tasks," said the young orangutan.

"Three tasks that will wipe you out of this island!" added the young gorilla.

"Three?" said DK and Diddy together.

"That's right; three!" said Manky, holding up three fingers, "It's a best-of-three contest! The winner shall be rewarded with the most powerful source in all of Kongo Bongo."

"That bright and shiny-" began the gorilla bully.

"-Crystal Coconut!" finished the orangutan bully.

"Give all that to DK and you'll be sorry you ever challenged us!" said Cranky.

"WE'RE NOT CHALLENGING DONKEY KONG!" shouted the villains together.

"WHAT!?" the heroes yelled together in complete disbelief.

"That's right!" said the gorilla bully, "I won't be standing up against a big, lazy wimp like you!"

"Neither will I!" added the orangutan bully, "You're just a big pile of brown fur!"

"Why, you little, INS-" DK began to yell, but Cranky and Diddy put a grip on his sides to calm him down.

"Easy!" said Cranky, "It's okay, DK. I've had these moments before, too."

DK sighed and quickly regained his composure.

"Well, if you're not challenging DK, then you are you challenging?" asked Diddy.

"That's where the big advantage comes in!" said Manky.

The heroes each got a lump in their throats. They could tell that Manky was not giving them an easy victory guarantee.

"We will be challenging … -" Manky began.

Then, the three villains all pointed their fingers at Diddy and shouted, "YOU!"

"DIDDY KONG, THE COWARDLY WEAKLING; THE PRIME TARGET!" screamed the two bullies.

Diddy gasped in shock. He could not believe what he had just heard or seen.

Cranky's heart almost stopped, while DK's eyes grew wide with worry.

"M-m-m-me!?" trembled Diddy in fear.

"That's right, ya little pesky monkey!" replied the gorilla bully, "We wanna see if you can really be as brave as you claim to be, or if you really are the little wimp you've proven yourself to be!"

"How could you challenge Diddy, you numbskulls!?" roared Cranky.

"Hey! It's our choice, so you stay out of it, ya lazy old man!" shouted the orangutan bully.

Cranky was furious after receiving an insult like that, but he knew it was best not to retaliate.

"Diddy Kong!" Manky began, "You shall be facing against these two enemies of yours … alone!"

Diddy gulped as DK wrapped an arm around his back to comfort him.

"Best of three tasks!" continued Manky, "The first to win two tasks wins all!"

"Just you wait and see, Manky! You have no idea what my little buddy's capable of!" said DK, then he turned to the bullies, "And neither do you, ya little pests!"

"Maybe we haven't, but will we?" taunted Manky before continuing his challenge description, "It's two-on-one! Diddy versus my new allies … in three dangerous tasks! If you win, then you can all keep your shiny glory, and you'll never have to see me again. However, if you fail, the Crystal Coconut … and all of Kongo Bongo … will be mine!"

The villainous orangutan finished with an evil laugh.

Diddy's heart was pounding so fast. He could feel his lack of bravery getting the best of him, but he knew that if he gave up then his clan would probably lose the Crystal Coconut immediately.

"So, Diddy Kong, … are you in … or are you out?" asked Manky.

Diddy felt something tap his left shoulder. He looked to his left and noticed Cranky trying to get his attention.

"Go on. Say 'yes'," whispered Cranky, looking very desperate, "Say 'you're in'."

"If you don't answer within the next ten seconds, I will take it as a 'no', and the Coconut will be mine," said Manky with a threatening look on his face.

"Do it, little buddy," whispered DK in Diddy's right ear, "Do this for all of Kongo Bongo. Do this for us."

With all the encouragement he was receiving from DK and Cranky, Diddy felt his courage sink into his heart, and he finally felt brave enough to accept Manky's challenge.

With one last deep breath, the little monkey walked up to Manky and stopped right in front of him.

"I'm in, Manky!" he said, trying to look intimidating.

However, his angry eyes and gritting teeth never did anything to scare anyone.

The bullies simply smirked at him, and Manky flashed an evil grin.

"Very well," said Manky in a deep voice, "You will be facing my two sidekicks in three life-threatening tasks. Meet us at the beach on Monday morning, and DON'T arrive late, because if you do then you forfeit, and Kongo Bongo is yours no more."

Diddy tried his best to stay brave in the face of the villains as they gave him one final menacing look in an effort to scare him. The monkey pretended not to be frightened as the three villains finally turned around and walked away, laughing menacingly.

"Until then, … farewell!" said Manky with another frightening laugh.

The bullies began singing a song to insult Diddy even further …

"Diddy Kong's a weakling; Diddy Kong's a coward! Diddy Kong is useless, and Diddy Kong's a LOSER!"

Diddy's eyes began to leak tears as he heard his enemies denigrate him with their horrible song.

As soon as the three villains were finally out of sight, Diddy immediately started to throw a tantrum.

"UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE THOSE FOOLS WOULD DO THAT TO ME! WHY ME!? WWWHHHYYY!?" he screamed in a mixture of anger, sadness and lack of courage, "WHY AM I ALWAYS THE ONE WHO'S TARGETED AS AN IDIOT!?"

DK and Cranky looked at each other briefly with concerned faces. They felt bad for Diddy, even though they knew that he still had his flaws that frequently rendered him weak and cowardly.

The two apes walked up to Diddy, then DK sat down and pulled his little buddy onto his lap.

"Hey, take it easy, little buddy!" said DK, squeezing Diddy in a bear hug, "Let's not just start throwing tantrums and knocking ourselves out."

"You've seen those bullies pick on me before, DK! You know all the horrible stuff they do! Whenever they start threatening me with insults and try to beat me up, I can never fight back! All I can do is run away! I'm nothing but just a useless little kid!" yelled Diddy.

"Whoa, Diddy! You've got to stop taking things so hard on yourself," said Cranky, "Even I may not have believed you to have been able to do anything, but DK told me how much of a brave monkey you were when you two fought K. Rool on his ship to reclaim your bananas."

"Diddy, you've got to start showing some more bravery. It's time to get out of that comfort zone," said DK.

"Easy for you to say, guys!" Diddy shot back, "At least you're not as annoying as I am, nor are you so wimpy!"

"You're doing it again, little buddy," said DK, giving Diddy a scolding look.

"Doing what!?" asked Diddy, crossing his arms.

"BEATING YOURSELF UP AGAIN!" DK and Cranky shouted together.

As Diddy heard those words, he began to feel so torn up inside, having once again proven himself to be lacking confidence or courage.

As the monkey pondered those thoughts in his head, he grew so mentally disturbed that he sank his head and burst into tears.

"I'm sorry!" he shouted as he tried to avoid sobbing, "I just can't stop thinking negatively about myself!"

"Aw, don't feel so down, little buddy," said DK in a gentle, comforting tone, "It'll be okay. If it makes you feel any better, we'll help you gain that courage you need."

The ape turned to Cranky.

"Won't we, Cranky?"

"Of course we will," agreed Cranky, "Just you wait and see, little one. Soon, you'll be brave enough to consider yourself a very useful and strong little monkey."

"And in no time, you'll feel strong enough to kick their butts!" added DK.

Diddy looked at DK for a few seconds, then he looked at Cranky. They each gave the little monkey a look of worry. He could tell right away that they were worried for him.

"Are you sure that whatever you have planned out … w-will help me?" asked Diddy as he put in an effort to regain his composure and stop his tears.

"Of course it will, little buddy!" answered DK with a chuckle, "You just wait and see, and soon you'll be out there and knocking them into next year!"

"He's right, you know," agreed Cranky, "Now, let's stop lamenting about your troubles, and turn them upside down."

Diddy felt some encouragement sinking in after hearing those warm words from his mentors. He couldn't help but let out a faint grin.

"Thank you, … both of you," said Diddy softly.

"No problem, little Diddy-buddy," replied DK.

"Just take things easy, and you'll be just fine, as will Kongo Bongo," added Cranky.

"Now, if the challenge begins Monday morning, that means that we have almost forty-eight hours to get you ready for the big event that lies ahead!" said DK.

"Well, then I would suggest that both of you get going and find a place to get warmed up," said Cranky, "It'll take a lot of practice to get you ready to face those numbskulls, Diddy, so you'd better get started right away. DK will be your mentor."

"Really!?" said Diddy in sudden excitement as he heard those last few heartwarming words.

"Yep! It'll be you and me, little pal!" said DK happily, "I'll be giving ya some workouts every now and again, and you'll soon get a big boost in confidence, … and possibly a little boost in strength."

"I hope so," said Diddy.

"Well, what are you two waiting for!? GET GOING!" shouted Cranky.

Diddy quickly jumped off DK's lap and allowed his buddy to stand back up.

"We're on it, Cranky!" the two heroes shouted together, and they immediately turned towards the jungle and ran off.

Once the duo disappeared, Cranky felt a big ache in his chest. Even through the encouragement he had given Diddy, he still felt extremely worried that he would likely fail in such a challenge like this. Who knew if a little monkey as weak as him could stand a chance against two bullies that delighted in nothing but torturing and bullying him around?

The old ape slowly walked back into his Cabin and slammed the door behind him.

"I had better get to work!" he shouted as he walked back to his potion desk and opened his potion book once more.

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><p><em><strong>So, Diddy is the one to be challenged by Manky, and his opponents turn out to be two out of the three bullies who spend their lives bullying the poor kid. It looks like Diddy may have a sticky situation in his hands.<strong>_

_**Will DK be able to help Diddy fight off his flaws, weaknesses and his lack of courage? What kind of potion could Cranky possibly have in store now? Could it help Diddy in his challenge against Manky's bullies?**_

_**All of the answers will lie in the next few chapters! It's time to wish the Kong duo some luck in their workouts, … for it could be for the good sake of Kongo Bongo!**_


	3. Diddy's Bravery Training begins

_**It's time to see a naïve little monkey try to fight off his fears, … with very warm help from a very brotherly parental figure.**_

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><p>Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong were in their tree house. To them, it seemed that the best place to start practicing would be right at home!<p>

DK was sitting on the floor, while Diddy stood right in front of him. The ape was keeping an arm wrapped around his little buddy's back to help him feel okay.

"Okay, little buddy," said DK, "From what we know, you've been able to prove yourself as a strong little sidekick, but you're still trying to gain some more courage so that you can feel confident enough to fight bigger enemies, am I right?"

"Y-yes, big buddy," answered Diddy in a slight tremble.

"Inside, you don't wanna be a zero anymore, but on the other side you still feel scared at times, don't ya, Diddy?" said DK.

"Yes, I do wanna be able to prove myself against those bullies, but I just don't know how to do it. I often fear that they might just knock me out in one punch," said Diddy with a worried look on his face.

"Well, don't you worry, Diddy-pal," said DK with a grin, "You and I, just the two of us, are gonna spend the next day and a half turning you into a braver monkey. Soon, you'll be a better sidekick than ever."

"But I'm not playing the role of sidekick in this challenge," corrected Diddy.

"I know, little buddy, but even then, when we're fighting together in the future, you'll become the best sidekick ever, and maybe someday you'll be following in my footsteps of heroism. Didn't you tell me that you wanna succeed me in the throne of Kongo Bongo?" asked DK.

"Yes, I do," replied Diddy, "I just wish I wasn't so scared of ferocious bullies."

"Well, just you wait and see, Diddy," said DK, "Once we practice for a while, you'll feel much braver than ever, and you won't be scared of anything."

"Well, … -" Diddy began, but DK patted his face to comfort him.

"I understand how you feel. I know it won't be a guarantee that you won't be afraid of anything, such as thunderstorms."

"I know," said Diddy in a down tone.

"But, … you'd understand what I mean, don't you, my little pal?" said DK with a chuckle.

"Of course I understand, big DK-buddy," replied Diddy, "We're just gonna try to guarantee that I won't be afraid of those bullies anymore, right?"

"That's right, my little Diddy-buddy," said DK playfully, "Now, let's just take a minute to warm up that heart of yours, then we'll get started, okay?"

"(sigh) Okay," said Diddy, trying to remain as calm as possible.

"Everything will be just fine, buddy," said DK in a gentle voice, "If you wanna be brave, then ya gotta keep your heart beating strongly."

Diddy gave DK a slight grin, and he placed a hand over his heart. DK also placed his free hand over Diddy's heart, and the ape encouraged his little buddy to take some deep breaths.

"To start off, we're gonna take things slow, and then we'll gradually bring them to higher levels until you've found the bravery within you," said DK softly.

"Okay, DK," said Diddy, "I'll do anything you tell me to do."

"Atta' boy," said DK, "That's my little buddy. We're in this together, through thick and thin."

The two Kongs grinned at each other and kept themselves in a close comfort for several more minutes.

Meanwhile, Manky was in the middle of the jungle with his two "bully" minions. The orangutan was warming up his allies for the challenge that lied less than 48 hours ahead.

The bullies felt as if they couldn't wait to kick Diddy's butt and finish him once and for all. They knew how vulnerable he was whenever they came face-to-face with the young monkey.

"I can't wait to embarrass him in front of everyone!" said the orangutan bully.

"I can't wait to see even the other Kongs betray him and laugh at him once we've taken him down," added the gorilla bully.

"Now, let's not get so anticipative right away, you two," said Manky, "You know that it'll take more than just a fight to prove that he's nothing but a little crybaby. Remember, he already seems to have no future, so we've got to make sure it stays that way. That is something that will not be as easy as it might seem."

The two kids looked at Manky with looks of surprise on their faces.

"So, what are the three tasks going to be?" asked the gorilla.

"You will find out soon enough. I don't want anyone to let it slip to the little pipsqueak. We want it to be a nasty surprise for him, so that he'll have no idea what to expect!" explained Manky.

"We can keep it a secret from him! We promise!" said the young orangutan desperately.

"I'm sorry, boys, but the details of this challenge must remain highly secured within myself until the Monday morning where we go in and challenge the wimpy kid," said Manky, "Until then, I would rely on you to keep practicing, and don't waste any energy."

The villainous orangutan began to walk away, until he quickly remembered something else.

"Oh, and try not to have any run-ins with Diddy beforehand. Do what you want to the others, but the weakling must be saved for last," said Manky before he finally turned and walked away.

The bullies looked at each other with strange faces.

"I guess he really does have some smart tactics up his sleeve," said the orangutan.

"Especially since he has a rivalry with Donkey Kong, himself," added the gorilla, "Don't you get it? The duo went on a quest to save their own bananas from K. Rool, and Manky was one of those who tried to get in their way. He even seemed to have Diddy finished off before DK ruined the moment."

The orangutan was astounded by the story, and he could now understand the real reason why Manky had planned this challenge.

"I get it," said the orangutan, "Manky is giving us a chance to give Diddy Kong what he really deserves as part of his own scheme to get revenge on Donkey Kong, doesn't he?"

"At least, that's how I think of it," replied the gorilla, "If he doesn't have his little sidekick around anymore, then he'll be helpless."

"Exactly!" said the orangutan, "Now we must help this big orangutan finish what he started with the Kong duo."

"Do you think he'll give us a share of that Kongo Bongo power once we get our hands on the Crystal Coconut?" asked the gorilla.

"I suppose so," said the orangutan, "Let's focus on that later, though. Right now, we need to keep ourselves loose so that when our time comes to face Diddy he won't stand a chance."

"That loser is gonna be sorry he was ever born," said the gorilla.

The two bullies wrapped up their conversation, and they began to practice some acrobatic fighting moves.

Meanwhile, in DK and Diddy's tree house, DK was just starting up a clone of one of Diddy's "bullying" enemies.

Diddy was standing in front of it nervously.

"Are you sure this will be harmless, big buddy?" the little monkey asked.

"Don't worry, Diddy, my lil' boy! This will be perfectly okay," reassured DK, "We're gonna use a clone of this little trouble-making orangutan, so that you will know what to do and what not to do."

The ape finished setting up the clone, and he brought his finger to the power switch. Then, he looked at Diddy.

"Now, I want you to remember three things about bullies, little buddy," said DK, "The first thing I want to ask you is this: If someone threatens to beat you up, what should you do? Should you just run away, or should you fight back?"

"Um, … I should f-fight back," answered Diddy shyly.

"That's right, little buddy," said DK, "Now, this is what the scoop is. This clone is going to try and punch you. What I want you to do is not to turn your back on him, but to fight back in anyway you can. You can do a jump attack, you could use your tail, or you could even kick him with those fast-running legs of yours."

"Okay. G-got it," said Diddy nervously.

"Whatever happens, just don't get afraid. Do not hesitate to fight back," said DK, "If you hesitate, you will only prove yourself as a nervous coward, which, as we know, is not what you wanna end up as, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, Diddy. Are you ready?" asked DK in a gentle voice to keep Diddy as comfortable as possible.

"(gulp) Here goes nothing," replied Diddy.

With that, the ape powered up the clone, and the fake orangutan ran up to Diddy and prepared to take a punch to his face.

Diddy seemed scared at first by the sight of this, but he knew what DK had told him to do.

So, with one last deep breath, the monkey took a leap off the floor and landed on top of the orangutan's head.

"Take this!" Diddy yelled as he kicked the clone's head.

The clone fell to the floor as Diddy jumped off, but it soon got itself back up and charged at Diddy again.

This time, the little monkey charged right back at the clone and shoved him with all of his might.

The orangutan lost his balance and backed up to the wall.

Then, Diddy ran up to the clone and wrapped his tail around one of its legs. Finally, he pulled his tail back and lifted the clone's leg off the floor.

The orangutan went crashing onto the floor on its back as Diddy unwrapped his tail from its leg.

"Alright, little buddy! That was totally epic!" cheered DK as he applauded his sidekick.

The clone's head moved again, and Diddy knew right away that it would likely try to fight back one more time.

So, the monkey jumped onto the orangutan's chest and punched it in the face with all the strength his fist could muster.

The clone finally shut its eyes and was ultimately knocked out.

"Yes! Well done, little Diddy-buddy! Well done!" shouted DK joyously as he came up behind Diddy and wrapped an arm around his back again, "You really are a very capable fighter! See, I've told ya many times that you are not a weakling, and you have just proven it right! I'm very impressed by how you've taken things so far."

"Whew! Well, I'm glad that's over, but I think I may have used a lot of energy for that," panted Diddy.

"Well, that's why I've brought you five bottles of pure banana juice," said DK, and he pointed to five juice-filled bottles sitting on the desk.

Diddy looked at the bottles, and he quickly became astounded by them.

"Are those all for me, big buddy?" asked Diddy.

"Those are all for you, little buddy!" replied DK with a grin.

"Oh, boy!" shouted Diddy excitedly.

DK quickly lifted his little brotherly buddy off the floor and hugged him tightly.

"Now, let's not take it that fast with the banana juice, Diddy," said DK, "Need I say that you will only be drinking that stuff little by little. Ya can't drink it all right away."

Diddy sighed unhappily.

"If you filled yourself up with juice right now, you'd be wasting a lot of energy, then you won't have any for Monday. You know what that would mean, right?" explained DK.

Diddy quickly registered those thoughts into his head, and he realized that drinking all of the juice so quickly would gradually create a disaster for all of Kongo Bongo.

The monkey quickly regained his composure and looked up at DK.

"How often should I drink it?" he asked his parental figure.

"I would recommend one small cup every two hours or so. That would mean that it will take about ten hours to drink a whole bottle," said DK, "Just keep that in mind, okay, buddy?"

Diddy was determined to obey everything his buddy said to him just as much as he was determined to defeat the bullies, so he knew immediately what to say.

"Okay, DK. I promise. You have my word," said Diddy.

"That's my little boy!" chuckled DK, "I know you may like that stuff, but when you drink it, it doesn't have a long-lasting effect."

"How long does it last?" asked Diddy curiously.

"I would imagine about two hours," said DK, "So if ya had five cups today, you'd have enough to make it through the rest of our first practice day with improved energy and a bit of extra courage, since it also boosts your nervous system."

"Then, that would mean that tomorrow I'll have probably a bottle and a half worth of that awesome stuff?" guessed Diddy.

"That's right, bud," answered DK, "Then, come Monday, and the big challenge, then you'll have enough to give you plenty of energy."

"Plenty?" asked Diddy suspiciously.

"Let's just say that ya never wanna drink too much banana juice at a time. It'll make you so overactive, and then Manky will know for sure that we'd be cheating. We sure don't want that, do we?" said DK.

"Oh, dear, no," replied Diddy, "I would never wanna be accused of cheating."

"Well then, little Diddy-pal, why don't we go ahead and give ya a small cup of juice, then we'll move on to your next lesson in dealing with bullies," said DK.

"It's cool!" said Diddy with a bright smile.

DK finally let Diddy back on his feet and released him from their hug.

Then, Diddy grabbed a small glass cup from the desk, and DK opened one of the banana juice bottles and poured a small dosage into Diddy's cup.

"Enjoy, little buddy!" chuckled DK.

Sure enough, Diddy happily brought the cup to his lips and poured the juice into his mouth.

Diddy's tongue could instantly recognize this as the greatest drink in all of Kongo Bongo! The little monkey enjoyed the taste so much that he almost couldn't swallow it.

As Diddy finally swallowed his first gulp, DK patted his buddy's forehead.

"You really like the taste of it, don't ya?" the ape said happily.

"It's so wonderful, I almost can't stop drinking it!" replied Diddy, "It's so awesome!"

"I'm glad you like it, Diddy!" said DK, "You're gonna be drinking a lot of that stuff over the next two days!"

"Oh, boy! I can't wait for that!" commented Diddy.

The two brotherly buddies shared a laugh as Diddy continued to enjoy his first dosage of banana juice.

Meanwhile, in Cranky's Cabin, the old Kong had just about finished brewing his potion, when a knock suddenly came at his door.

"OH, WHAT NOW!?" yelled Cranky as he set his potion-making supplies on his desk and walked up to the door.

The ape opened the door, and there stood Manky again, much to Cranky's dismay.

"NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" screamed Cranky.

"I just wanted you to know that I certainly won't be allowing such a dastardly attempt at cheating!" said Manky.

"Oh, like I would do such a thing!?" yelled Cranky, feeling insulted by Manky's words, "Why don't ya go bother your little wimps for a while!? I'm busy with one of my own personal needs!"

"You're lying!" shouted Manky.

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO SURE IF I WAS LYING!?" roared Cranky.

"Because I smell a potion that can boost one's fighting energy! I shall not allow it!" said Manky.

"You don't even know two things about potions!" said Cranky.

"You're nothing but an old cheater!" shouted Manky.

With that, Manky shoved Cranky out of the way and burst into the Cabin.

Cranky slowly got himself back up just in time to watch the villain take a banana and throw it at the brewing potion!

The potion fell off the desk and exploded upon hitting the floor!

Cranky was very furious, yet also heartbroken that he had lost his way to help Diddy.

"Well, I guess your little wimp won't be standing a chance now!" yelled Manky before laughing evilly.

"YOU COMPLETE LUNKHEADED NUMBSKULL! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" screamed Cranky as loud as he could.

Seemingly startled from Cranky's horrendous roar, Manky instantly turned towards the door and ran out without another word.

"Oh, this is so terrible! Now how am I gonna get Diddy that extra courage he needs!?" said Cranky as he watched Manky disappear into the jungle.

The old ape slammed his door and turned to his globe that contained the Crystal Coconut.

He banged his stick against the floor three times to open the globe, and in no time, the powerful Coconut was glowing right in his face.

"Let's see how DK and Diddy are faring with this," Cranky spoke into the Coconut.

In an instant, the powerful crystal revealed an image of Diddy drinking his banana juice with DK by his side. Then, the ape's eyes turned to a beaten-up clone of the orangutan bully.

"At least, the young monkey's gotten off to an okay start, but I must tell them the bad news," Cranky said to himself.

The old codger set his stick on the floor, and he began to speak his incantation:

"Crystal Coconut, with your magical wave; use your power to locate DK! Zip, zam, wham-boom, bam; teleport me using a hologram!"

With that, the Coconut produced a large wave that expanded throughout the Cabin, and in a sudden flash, Cranky disappeared.

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><p><em><strong>Well, it seems as through Manky is already trying to ruin the Kongs' advantage, but with Cranky around, things can't go seriously wrong, right?<strong>_

_**How will Diddy cope with the bad news? Will the banana juice be enough to help him in his challenge?**_

_**We will find out soon enough!**_


	4. Diddy gets very good luck from DK

_**Well, it seems that Manky's already trying to cause trouble for the Kongs, but let's see how Diddy is braving with his lessons from DK.**_

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><p>In Donkey and Diddy Kong's tree house, DK was reprogramming the "bully" orangutan clone to provide Diddy with his next lesson against bullies.<p>

"Okay, little buddy, just a few more tweaks, and then we'll be ready for your next step in becoming a brave hero," said DK.

"Okay," replied Diddy, feeling a little pumped up by the banana juice he had drank.

Just then, Cranky Kong's hologram appeared out of thin air above Diddy.

"I must say: you two are doing a decent job so far, but I come with bad news," said Cranky.

"What's the bad news?" asked DK and Diddy.

"I was making a potion to help you out, Diddy," said Cranky.

"I was certain you'd be able to help me out in someway," said Diddy.

"However, Manky burst into my Cabin after sensing the potion, accused me of cheating and blew the thing up before I could finish it," said Cranky.

"Oh, no!" said Diddy with heartbreak.

"I see you've gotten to an okay start with your lesson, Diddy, but you two had better be aware that Manky and his minions are getting self-aware of everything! Whatever happens, make sure they don't gain any knowledge of how you're doing, particularly the banana juice, because who knows if they might just stop by at anytime and call us out for good?"

DK and Diddy felt their hearts ache, albeit Diddy's pain being worse. They felt very worried that their chances against the bullies were steadily slipping away.

"Now, you two go on with your practicing, while I send someone to take care of the bullies so that they don't intrude you," said Cranky, and his hologram soon disappeared.

DK and Diddy looked at each other with concerned faces.

"Aw, dear!" said Diddy worryingly, "How could we keep up with this if they're already trying to track everything down for their own advantage!?"

"Don't panic, little Diddy-buddy," said DK as he rushed over to Diddy and gently hugged him to calm him down, "I'm sure they won't find out about anything we're doing. After all, this is our home, and besides, the other Kongs are very reliable in keeping troublemakers away."

"(gulp) I just hope we'll be able to make it out of this okay," said Diddy.

"I'm sure we will, little pal," replied DK, "You just need to build up on self-confidence, and you'll be just fine."

"Are you sure, DK?" asked Diddy.

"I'm sure, Diddy," answered DK, "Let's just keep calm, and you'll be okay."

Diddy quickly gathered up his composure and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

"There, there, are you ready for your next lesson, little buddy?" asked DK in a very gentle tone.

"Y-yes, I'm ready," replied Diddy, feeling slightly nervous.

"Okay, buddy," whispered DK, rubbing Diddy's back comfortably, "Now, it's time for step number two in dealing with bullies."

The ape switched to cuddling Diddy's shoulders to keep him feeling as brave as possible.

"Alright, my little buddy. If a bully walked up to you and started throwing insults at you, even if they made you feel very sad inside, would you just run away or would you try to yell an insult back at them?"

Diddy knew that running away was never an option, so he quickly concluded that it was best to once again fight back.

"Fight back," he said in a soft tone that made him sound shy.

"You got it, lil' pal," said DK with a grin.

Diddy faintly grinned back at DK with worried eyes.

"Now, here's what's gonna happen this time; this bully will try to yell very bad insults at you, which I'm sure may make you tear up inside, but you'll know what to do, right?" said DK.

"Yes," said Diddy, "Simply insult them back."

"Good boy," said DK, "If one offends you, offend them back in anyway possible. Make them feel like crying, and if they keep trying to offend you, then keep it going until they finally give up."

"You mean, they can still fight back even after you've fought back?" asked Diddy in a shy voice.

"Sometimes they will, yes," said DK, "That's what will happen here. All I ask of you is that you keep on throwing insults at the bully until he feels so offended that he'll run off crying."

"Okay, big buddy. I'll try my best," said Diddy.

"That's my little buddy," said DK.

The ape patted his buddy's back a few more times, then he walked over to the bully clone and turned him on again.

It was then that the bully walked up to Diddy and shouted at him, "Hey, what are you supposed to be!? A little wimpy crybaby who can't even lift an insect!?"

Diddy was, indeed, offended, but he remembered what DK had told him, and he soon picked up the courage he needed to fight back.

"So what!? I'll bet you can't even lift a barrel with all the strength you ever had!" the monkey shouted bravely.

"I can so lift a barrel, especially when it has your useless body stuffed inside!" shouted the clone.

"Useless!? I'd say you're talking about yourself!" Diddy shot back.

"WHAT!?" yelled the clone.

"You're so useless that your family had to turn you down!" said Diddy.

DK giggled at Diddy's words, thinking that they sounded hilarious when being thrown at a bully.

"What about your family!? You have none of that!" said the clone, "You're just a lonely loser!"

"Never say that one doesn't have a family, because I, in fact, do have a family!" said Diddy.

"Really!? I'll bet that he trained you to be nothing but a lazy kid who can only run off like a coward whenever someone approaches you!"

"What about you!? You're so lazy that all you think about is ruining your own life in favor of being the most hated orangutan of your generation!" shouted Diddy.

"How dare you call me lazy!?" yelled the clone.

"Oh, I can call you lazy all I want, because you're so lazy that you had to become such a miserable loner, along with your stupid friends!" said Diddy, "All they ever do is try to make everyone's lives miserable, because you must be miserable, yourself!"

"You shut up right now!" said the clone.

"No way! I'll be in no mood to shut up until you run home to your lazy parents!" said Diddy.

All of a sudden, the clone's mouth was wide open and speechless. It seemed that it couldn't come up with another insult.

"Yeah, ya better be crying now!" said Diddy, "Unless you'd rather spend the rest of your life acting like a crony!"

With that, the clone simply fell to the floor and shut itself off again.

"I guess you're more lazy than I thought, apparently," commented Diddy.

"I think you've just about finished him off, little buddy!" said DK, "Great job, Diddy! You've done it again!"

DK lifted Diddy by his sides and turned him around so that they were facing each other.

"Wow! I never thought I could come up with insults like that!" said Diddy.

"You just had to be motivated, that's all," said DK, "The next time either one of the real bullies insult you, ya simply insult them right back. Remember that, okay, little Diddy-pal?"

"I'll remember, big buddy! You've been a big help so far!" said Diddy happily, "I've never felt this good before!"

"That means your bravery is building up! The more stuff you know how to do against bad guys, the braver you'll be, and the stronger you'll feel, too," said DK.

"Wow, I never thought of that," said Diddy, feeling so wondrous, "You know, I think you're right, DK. I somehow feel a little braver already! You really are such a great mentor for me!"

"Aw, Diddy, my little buddy, you're such a wonderful little monkey!" replied DK, feeling warmth sink into his heart, "I'd say we keep on practicing so that you can be ready when the time comes!"

"Isn't there a third thing to know about bullies, because I thought you said there were three, and we've done only two," said Diddy curiously.

"There is a third thing to remember about bullies. You've already learned how to physically fight them, right?"

"Right."

"And you've just learned how to make their insults backfire, right?"

"Right."

"Now, there's one final step in dealing with bullies that I want you to know, then you'll be ready to tackle their challenge, because you'll know how to fight them," said DK encouragingly.

"What is that final step, DK?" asked Diddy.

DK sat down and held Diddy on his lap while gently hugging him around the waist.

"Well, first let me ask you this, little buddy," DK began, "Has there ever been a time in which a bully has tried to set a trap on you?"

"Oh, yes! Those three troublemakers get me with traps all the time!" answered Diddy unhappily, "It gets so annoying!"

"Well, I'm gonna teach you to make the traps backfire, because ya never know what those kids might do during the contest on Monday. They might try to sabotage you while nobody else is looking, which is why you must know how to avoid enemy traps, or better yet, throw 'em right back at them!" explained DK.

"What if I don't know exactly what they might do?" said Diddy worryingly.

"That's where the lesson comes in," said DK, "First, you gotta ask someone to make sure they're not cheating. Say, if you asked me, I'd sneak over and peek into their pockets or something. Then, once I've taken as many looks as possible, then I'll tell you what they have to use against you."

"Okay, so how about an example?" said Diddy.

"Well, imagine if you just asked me to make sure they weren't cheating, then I'd sneak my eyes into their pockets and find some banana peels. I rush back over to you, and I tell you that they have bananas up their sleeve. They'll probably use them to make you slip, and therefore fail on whatever task you're on."

"Then, with that in mind, do I just keep my eye out for traps?" guessed Diddy.

"Well, in this case, I'd recommend that you keep one eye on the challenge, and the other on the possibility of a trap," continued DK, "If they use one, then simply avoid it, or try to shove it right back at them, which may sometimes not be reccomended."

"Because Manky might either let his minions get away with cheating, or the kids might falsely accuse me of cheating them?" said Diddy with a nervous face.

"Well, … I'm sure they might do that, yes," said DK.

Diddy sank his head.

"But even so, you can tell us that they cheated, and we'll try to convince Manky, although he may believe us, or he may not," said DK, "All you have to do is make sure you don't get caught in the face of a trap. If you tell us that they cheat, then we'll believe you, because we're all on your side, little Diddy-buddy."

"Everyone in our entire clan?" said Diddy with a surprised look.

"Everyone, Diddy, my boy," replied DK, "We know you'd never cheat, so there's no way you'll be called out for playing dirty, even if Manky were to blow off Cranky as the role of the referee. We know it won't be your fault."

Diddy gave DK a faint grin, but he still felt nervous. DK simply hugged him tighter to help him stay brave.

"Therefore, if the bullies try to set up a trap for you, then it's best to just dodge it and keep going, even if they'll try it again until you seem to be out of it. You just need to keep your cool and focus on whatever task you'll be competing in. Do you understand everything?"

"Yes, I got it all, DK," answered Diddy.

"Good boy, Diddy. That's my little pal," said DK in a gentle, encouraging, fatherly tone.

The duo shared a brief face nuzzle with each other, then Diddy jumped off DK's lap.

"Let's practice, shall we?" suggested DK.

"Sure, I'd like to try it," said Diddy.

"Okay, buddy," said DK.

The ape stood up, and Diddy approached him again. Then, they pretended that Diddy was warming up for a task involved in the challenge.

"DK, could you make sure that those guys are not plotting a trap on me?" asked Diddy.

"Sure I will, Diddy," said DK, and he walked towards the mirror and pretended that there were a couple of bullies in the reflection.

After about twenty seconds, the ape rejoined Diddy.

"They've got banana peels in their pockets, little buddy. I'm sure they might try to make ya slip. I might suggest that you be careful if you're near them," said DK.

"Okay, big buddy. I'll do my best," said Diddy.

"That's my boy," replied DK, and he playfully rubbed his brotherly buddy's forehead like a father comforting his son.

Diddy slightly giggled in ticklishness, but he quickly shifted his focus to a pretend scenario where he was focusing on a task.

Then, DK deliberately threw a banana peel on the floor towards Diddy.

The little monkey quickly noticed the banana, and he kicked it away.

"Good job, little buddy. You've got some good reflexes," said DK, "Nice going."

"Thanks, big buddy. Try another one," said Diddy.

"Alright, Diddy. Keep your focus on," said DK.

Diddy pretended to be doing something he was sure that might be involved in Manky's challenge, then DK threw another banana peel right in front of him, as if to give him just about no time to avoid it.

However, Diddy picked up the banana peel and threw it away, then he pretentiously shifted his focus right back to his pretentious task.

"I think I've got it, DK! I really do have great reflexes!" said Diddy, "I can dodge a banana trap within just about no time!"

"That's wonderful, Diddy! You've really got the hang of dealing with bullies now!" said DK, "I'm very proud of you so far! You're getting to be a strong little hero! If you were able to prove yourself as my strong little sidekick, then there's no doubt you should prove yourself as a hero against your own enemies!"

"Thank you so much, DK!" said Diddy happily, "I feel so great! I almost feel ready to tackle them right now!"

The little monkey then joyously jumped up to DK and hugged his fatherly/brotherly figure around his neck.

"You're the best big buddy I've ever had, DK!" said Diddy.

"You're the best little buddy I've ever had too, Diddy!" replied DK.

The duo smiled at each other as DK wrapped his arms around Diddy's back and playfully hugged him for several minutes.

"Are ya feeling very brave now?" asked DK.

"I'm sure I am," answered Diddy.

"Do you still wanna keep practicing so that you can get better at it?" offered DK.

"Sure, I'd like to get a little more out of it. I really wanna be ready to prove them wrong!" said Diddy with a determined look on his face.

"That's the spirit, little buddy!" said DK, "You'll be the bravest little monkey in no time!"

DK carefully set Diddy back down on his feet, and the two kept their brotherly hug going for another minute before they finally continued practicing.

Meanwhile, in Cranky's Cabin, the old ape was watching the whole thing inside the Crystal Coconut. He had seen Diddy throw his backfiring insults at the clone, and the banana traps which Diddy simply kicked out of the way.

"Well, at least he's gotten the hang of dealing with bullies by now," said Cranky.

"How's Diddy doing, Cranky?" asked a female voice.

Cranky turned around and looked at Candy Kong and Funky Kong, who had come to assist him after he had summoned them via hologram.

"Diddy's gotten his bravery boosted big time, but he still doesn't exactly know what kind of tasks he'll be facing," said Cranky.

"Can't you tell the little dude so that he'll be ready for this epic event?" asked Funky.

"I can't tell him, because I don't know what the tasks are, either!" answered Cranky angrily, "Now, I called you two because I need you to help me out! Manky has already wrecked my potion, and I fear he'll get self-aware of what DK and Diddy are doing in their house, so this is what I'll be assigning you to do."

The aged codger fixed his eyes on Candy.

"Candy, I need you to spy on the bullies and make sure they don't wreak any havoc," explained Cranky, "Keep a sharp eye on those pests, and no matter what happens, keep them away from DK and Diddy's house!"

"Completely understood, Cranky," said Candy, "I just hope Bluster won't try to drag me back to the Barrelworks while I'm at it."

"That's why I told his mother to let him take the rest of the day off, so that you can spy on the bullies for as long as possible," added Cranky.

"Wow, what a surprise advantage," said Candy, feeling very amazed by Cranky's method of sabotaging Bluster.

Then, Cranky turned to Funky.

"Funky, you will be staying over at DK and Diddy's house. Make sure their place stays safe in case any one of the villains show up. If one does, chase him off immediately. No one can enter their house, got that!?"

"Totally got that, dude!" replied Funky, "I'll head up there right away!"

"Excellent," said Cranky as Funky turned and walked out the door.

"What about you?" said Candy, "What are you gonna be doing?"

"I'll be spying on Manky using my hologram, and try to brush in the details of the tasks so that Diddy can be ready ahead of time," said Cranky.

"Well, … wait a minute! Then, if there's nobody in here, then who's gonna look after the Coconut?" asked Candy worryingly, "Manky and his bullies could take advantage!"

"I'm locking my Cabin up securely so that no one can bust in," said Cranky, "Even Manky won't be able to smash in."

"Genius," replied Candy.

"Now, go find those two little numbskulls and do NOT lose track of them!" ordered Cranky.

"I'm on it," said Candy, and she immediately turned away and ran out of the Cabin.

Finally, Cranky slammed his doors shut and locked them as tightly as possible. Then, he closed every single window and secured them very tightly.

"There, now no one will be barging in here anytime soon," said Cranky as he turned back to the Crystal Coconut, and he once again spoke his incantation.

In another brief flash, Cranky was once again gone as a hologram, on his way to spy on Manky.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, it seems that Diddy's had good luck in his bravery so far! DK's become a very good figure to him by now!<strong>_

_**What will the challenge's three tasks be? Will the Kongs manage to keep the bullies away from DK and Diddy?**_

_**The answers to those questions will be revealed in the next chapter!**_

_**See ya soon!**_


	5. Uncovering the tasks

_**It's time to find out what Diddy will be going through against the bullies! Let's see how dangerous they really might be!**_

* * *

><p>Manky Kong was relaxing in the jungle, sitting against a tree. He had a clipboard on his lap, with a piece of paper attached to it, and he had a pencil in his hand.<p>

The villainous orangutan was writing down countless stuff on his paper, which could only have been related to the challenge he was setting up against Diddy Kong.

Just then, Cranky Kong's hologram popped up from behind the tree, and he floated upwards to where he could see the paper without risking Manky seeing him.

"Let's see," said Manky, "Why don't we have the first task be the most dangerous of the three? If Diddy doesn't stand a chance at two-on-one barrel carrying when it comes to carrying a heavier barrel than each of my minions, then it'll be a perfect way to lure him into the second challenge, which I shall choose as the insult contest!"

Cranky let his jaw drop for a split second before he took a deep sigh and regained his composure. He wasn't keen to seeing Diddy lift a barrel that was about twice his size, nor could he come up with the best way to fight back the worst of the bullies' insults. What if they were to start off right away with the worst they had to offer?

"_I sure hope DK knows what he's doing with Diddy. If that little monkey can't gather it up, then we might all be doomed forever." _thought Cranky as he continued to listen in.

"I shall make it fair that whoever wins the first task shall be allowed to choose what the second task is," continued Manky, "That will be the only option I offer. Now for the final task."

The first task was barrel lifting, and the second task was an insult contest. Cranky was determined to hear what this final task could be, and if Diddy could pull off barrel lifting, then maybe this third task could be used to their advantage if it was easier than blowing insults.

"Let's see, if Diddy is able to pull off barrel lifting or coming up with the nastiest of insults, then I shall make him do a physical fight with each of my bullies," said Manky.

Cranky was shocked. A fistfight!? This just couldn't be! Diddy could never beat anyone in a fistfight! Surely, if they had to choose between yelling insults and physical fighting, insults would likely be easier.

"Well, I guess I've just about wrapped up my task list!" said Manky as he stood up and walked away.

Cranky could not believe his ears. These three tasks were all things that Diddy couldn't possibly pull off. None of them sounded possible for someone like him to achieve.

"I sure hope that DK's taught Diddy very well, because I fear this could just be the only way to keep Kongo Bongo away from a horrible fate!" shouted Cranky in a panic state, "I must tell them right away!"

With that, the old ape's hologram disappeared from the tree.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the jungle, the two bullies were still practicing their moves. They were throwing light punches at trees and kicking small plants. They looked as if they were being rather abusive to the environment.

Just then, Candy peeked out from behind a tree and watched the troublemakers bashing and brushing stuff around.

"_These two are a couple of pathetic apes! I can't believe they would be this violent to anything, even the environment!" _thought Candy.

Then, he heard someone else's voice calling them from about ten yards away.

"Hey, it's the boss!" shouted the orangutan bully.

Manky walked up to the bullies and greeted them again.

"I'd say we'd take a little spy on the worthless duo to ensure that they're not cheating in any such way that would render us hopeless," said Manky.

Candy hid back behind the tree and felt her heart pound with worry. It just wasn't imaginable that these three villains would try to spy on DK and Diddy right away!

"_I must warn Funky!" _thought Candy, and she crouched and crawled away from the bullies to avoid being spotted, then she ran off towards DK's house.

"I'm rather suspicious," said the gorilla bully, "After you caught Cranky cheating, I'd be sure that DK might be helping Diddy cheat us as well."

"Are you sure you would jump to that conclusion right away?" asked the orangutan bully curiously.

"Perhaps, it's true," replied Manky, "Ya never know what miracle drugs they keep in their house. They probably used them the last time they encountered me! Let's head up there to ensure that it won't happen again!"

"Yeah!" shouted the bullies in agreement.

Then, Manky led his two minions down the jungle path towards DK's house.

Meanwhile, in the home of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, the two Kongs were still practicing with the orangutan clone.

Diddy had just beaten down the clone in another fistfight, when Funky Kong looked out a window and found Candy running up to them.

"Hmm, Candy must want something, dudes! I'd better head down and see what's brewing!" said Funky, and he walked up to the elevator and slammed the "down" button.

"Thanks, Funky!" said DK as the elevator sunk out of the house.

"Gee, I wonder what Candy must want?" asked Diddy.

"Well, unless it has something to do with me, then I may not worry about it too much. After all, we've gotta spend as much time together as we can so that you can be prepared for this Monday challenge," said DK.

"You're right, DK," agreed Diddy, "All I even feel like doing is getting ready to kick some butt!"

Just then, Cranky's hologram appeared.

"Alright, you two!" he shouted, "I managed to find out what the three tasks are!"

"Geez, why do ya have to be so loud like that? We're right here, ya know!" complained DK.

"Stop complaining, you numbskull, and listen very closely to what I have to say!" Cranky shot back.

DK quickly zipped his mouth, and Diddy walked next to him.

"Okay, Diddy, I'm sure this won't be easy for you, but the first task is barrel lifting," said Cranky.

"Hmm, I'm sure it shouldn't be too bad, once I've built a little strength in my muscles," said Diddy.

"Don't count on that," replied Cranky, "Ya never know how big it might be."

DK and Diddy simply rolled their eyes as Cranky continued.

"If you win the first task, then the second task is a choice between an insult contest … or a physical fistfight!" finished Cranky.

"Well, little buddy, I guess you'd better get some more practice," suggested DK.

"Perhaps, I should," agreed Diddy, "I'd imagine those bullies will be as wild as ever by the time they're warmed up."

"THEY'RE COMING! INTRUDER ALERT!" yelled Funky and Candy from below the house.

The three Kongs in the house ran up to the window and saw Funky and Candy calling out to them.

"WELL THEN, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP THEM OUT!" screamed Cranky.

DK fell backwards after being startled by Cranky's loud ranting, but Diddy was worried about what was going on.

"What is going on?" the monkey asked, "Are they … like … trying to sneak in on us!?"

"They intend to spy on you two so that they're confident that we don't get caught cheating!" said Cranky, "They already accused me of cheating, so I fear that this huge pile of banana juice catches their eyes, then we'll be all DOOMED!"

"WHAT!?" screamed Diddy, panicking.

"Listen, the only way to keep you away from accusations is to hide all of these bottles in anyway you can!" said Cranky, "If they see anyone of them, then it's all over!"

"Okay, we'll hide them!" said DK as he got back up.

"Uh, … y-yeah, we're on it," added Diddy.

Cranky's hologram disappeared, and DK and Diddy looked at each other with worried faces.

"THEY'RE SPYING ON US!" they yelled together.

Neither one of them could believe their ears. They weren't anticipating that these villains were that harsh.

"Oh, I'd hate to have to lay off the banana juice!" said Diddy.

"I know, little buddy," replied DK, feeling sorry for his sidekick, "But don't worry. Once the bullies are shooed off, I'll give ya another cup so that you can keep yourself feeling strong."

"Thanks, DK!" said Diddy with a smile of relief, "You're the best big buddy ever!"

"You're welcome, little Diddy-buddy," replied DK, "Now, let's hide the juice."

DK grabbed three of the bottles, including the partially-empty one, while Diddy took the other two. Then, they crawled around the floor and found a perfect hiding spot behind the desk.

"This will be the perfect place to keep them," said DK, "Let's put them over here."

"Got it, big buddy!" replied Diddy.

The two Kongs slid the juice bottles behind the desk and stepped back out, feeling ensured that their plan was safe from the villains.

Finally, the two looked out the window and found that Manky and the bullies were confronting Funky, Candy and Cranky's hologram.

"Oh, dear," said Diddy softly, "I hope they don't break in."

"Don't worry, little buddy," said DK, "I've got your back."

The heroes watched as their friends dealt with the bullies for several minutes. They could not believe how harsh they were being towards them.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST DRAG YOURSELVES BACK INTO THE JUNGLE AND KEEP YOURSELVES OCCUPIED WITH SOMETHING ELSE!" yelled Candy.

"UNLESS YA WANNA LOOK LIKE WIMPS ON MONDAY!" added Cranky.

"YOU'D BE SUFFERING FROM A TOTAL BUMMER!" finished Funky.

Convinced that there was no point in trying to spy on the Kongs, Manky finally turned away and walked back into the jungle.

"Let's go, boys! Why bother when they already seem to be helpless anyway!?" shouted Manky.

The bullies looked at each other with strange faces, but they soon turned away from the Kongs and followed Manky back into the jungle to resume practicing.

"They're just a bunch of complaining crybabies, aren't they!?" said the gorilla bully.

"Oh, they sure are!" agreed the orangutan bully.

Cranky turned back to Funky and Candy.

"I would suggest that you two keep working to keep them away from DK and Diddy," the old ape said, "Ya never know if … or when … they might return."

Finally, Cranky disappeared, and the two Kongs looked at each other with concerned faces.

"I guess he's right," said Candy.

"If that be the case, I had better blow back on up and see how the real dudes are doing!" replied Funky.

"I'll be in the jungle, looking after those trouble-making pests!" said Candy as she turned back to the jungle.

Funky walked back to DK's elevator and lifted himself back into the tree house.

Diddy was just beginning his second cup of banana juice when Funky came back in.

"Well, dudes, it looks like they won't be bothering us for a while," said Funky.

"Whew. What a relief," said Diddy.

"See, little Diddy-pal! You've got nothing to worry about," added DK.

"Anyways, let's see the little dude kick some more artificial butt!" chuckled Funky.

"Ooh, you betcha!" answered Diddy, and he gulped his banana juice down and started fighting the orangutan clone yet again.

Throughout the rest of the day, Manky and his bullies made no further attempts to spy on DK and Diddy, but on Sunday afternoon, the two bullies were back for another try on chastising their enemy.

However, the moment they were about to step up to the elevator, Funky came down and stopped them right in their tracks.

"I was sure we would have to endure another bumming attempt on becoming a couple of spies!" commented Funky.

"Get out of our way, you worthless, un-mated sun-glass boy!" the orangutan shot back.

Funky was taken aback by those words, and he felt his heart explode into a million of pieces.

At that very moment, the surfer instantly grew into a rage and growled ferociously at the bullies.

"You two are virtually the worst that Kongo Bongo has to offer! If we were on the beach right now, I would be throwing you out to sea by using those words!" screamed Funky, "GET OUT!"

"Or what? You'll just doze off into the ocean and drown?" teased the gorilla bully.

"THAT DOES IT!" roared Funky.

With that, the sun-glassed ape grabbed the two bullies by their shirts and lifted them off the ground.

"NOW YOU'LL BOTH KNOW WHEN NOT TO MESS WITH THE GREATEST SURFER ON EARTH!" yelled Funky.

Finally, he walked back into the jungle and brought the bullies to Candy, who then took them and tossed them to the ground.

"I've never been so insulted in all my life!" said Funky.

Candy looked at Funky with a sad look, then she glared at the bullies.

"Well, you two really are the worst pair of primates I've ever known in my life! I'll be calling Donkey Kong to pound you once we're finished with the two of you!" yelled Candy.

The bullies simply stood up and backed away from the Kongs, then they ran off towards the beach.

"I sure hope we never see them again once Diddy pounces them!" said Funky.

"Me, too!" agreed Candy, "Our little hero will be giving them the beating of a lifetime!"

Funky simply nodded and walked away, while Candy once again chased after the bullies to resume spying on them for DK and Diddy's safety.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, I guess the bullies have learned not to mess with Funky … or Candy! It seems that Diddy may be the only one they're not scared of just yet, but hopefully we can count on our brave little hero to give them what they truly deserve!<strong>_

_**It's also a good thing Diddy knows what the tasks are. Now, he can be ready to tackle the challenge on the Monday morning it takes place!**_

_**With the tasks revealed, can Diddy build up enough strength to tackle the three tasks? Will the bullies try to sabotage him with cheats, now that they've failed to spy on him?**_

_**Find out in the next couple of chapters when Diddy takes the big challenge in his effort to protect the Crystal Coconut from Manky!**_


	6. The first task

_**The day has come! It's the day of Diddy's biggest task prior to DKC2! Let's see how he'll do in the first task!**_

* * *

><p>The Monday morning skies brought with it lots of sunshine and very few clouds. The breeze was cool, and the air felt very warm. It seemed like a beautiful day on Kongo Bongo.<p>

However, the Kongs all knew that today would only be a nice day if Diddy Kong could fend off three seemingly-impossible tasks against two other kids who delighted in bullying him.

Diddy had woken up in his tire at about 9:30 AM. He hoped he hadn't overslept, since he had no idea when the challenge would start.

Thankfully, the little monkey got his answer just seconds later, as DK stood next to the tire and gave him a worried look.

"Good morning, little buddy," said DK, "You've got a serious day ahead of you."

"Good morning, big buddy," replied Diddy, "I know I've got a serious challenge ahead of me. What time is it?"

"It's nine thirty," answered DK, "The first task begins in just half an hour!"

Diddy's heart raced very quickly after hearing those words. He knew that there was no time left to get a small warmup.

"Oh, dear! Quick, DK! Gimme a few cups of banana juice so that I can be prepared!" said Diddy as he jumped off his tire and picked up a small brush.

"You got it, Diddy!" replied DK, "The big boost is coming right up!"

The ape rushed behind the desk and pulled out the last unopened bottle of banana juice.

Diddy brushed his fur all around several times until he was sure he was cleaned up and ready to leave the house.

"Here ya go, little buddy!" said DK, as he handed Diddy a cup full of banana juice.

The little monkey immediately gulped it down, and in less than fifteen seconds the cup was empty!

"Gimme the whole bottle!" said Diddy.

"It's on, little Diddy-pal!" replied DK, "Drink up!"

The ape poured another cup's worth of juice into Diddy's cup, and he once again gulped it down.

"Keep goin', buddy!" said DK as he poured a third cup.

This went on for several minutes until Diddy had gulped down virtually the entire bottle of banana juice!

"Well, I'd say that after filling yourself up with that much juice, you should be feeling good for up to ten hours!" said DK.

"Ten hours!? WOW!" said Diddy in amazement, "That and all of the practice you've given me, I feel so ready to kick their butts!"

"Alright! That's the spirit, Diddy!" said DK happily, "Let's go!"

"I'm gonna give them a little lesson on Kongo Bongian manners!" shouted Diddy.

The two heroes stepped into the elevator as DK slammed the "down" button, then they rode the elevator down to the ground and scurried off into the jungle.

At the beach, all of the other Kongs and the villains were waiting for DK and Diddy to arrive. The Kong clan had taken seats inside Funky's Flights, while Manky was giving his minions one last warmup.

"I can't wait to show that little pest how worthless he is!" said the gorilla bully.

"Me neither! This is gonna be a lotta fun!" replied the orangutan bully.

The Kongs simply glared at them as they showed off their not-so-good moves.

"Just fifteen more minutes before we are scheduled to begin!" said Manky, "If Diddy doesn't show up between now and then, then we shall take the Crystal Coconut!"

"Don't count on that so soon!" commented Cranky.

"You know the Diddy-dude always arrives on time!" said Funky.

"Ya wanna ask someone if he always comes late? Ask DK!" added Candy.

"Maybe we shouldn't need to ask," said Manky as he looked through a window and spotted DK and Diddy running towards them.

"Oh, thank goodness they're here!" shouted Cranky, as if he had lost all of his patience.

The two heroes ran into Funky's Flights and skidded to a stop right in front of the villains.

"Well, well, Manky, surprised or not!? I'm here and ready to bash your cronies down!" shouted Diddy.

"Really?" replied the gorilla bully.

"I'm quite surprised that you'd say something like that," added the orangutan bully.

"Well, you won't be surprised for long!" said Diddy.

"We'll see after we prove that you really are the little worthless pipsqueak you claim not to be," said the gorilla bully.

"HEY! NOT SO SOON WITH THAT, NOW!" ordered Manky, hushing his minions down, "Save that for later! Right now, it's time to get ready for that possibly-so-decisive first task!"

"Well then, what is that first task?" asked the gorilla bully.

"Barrel lifting!" answered Manky.

The leading orangutan led the contestants to an area of open sand where several barrels of different sizes were sitting.

"Now, here's what the challenge will be," Manky began, "My two bullies will each carry a small barrel, filled with bananas, over to that coconut tree."

The villain pointed his finger at a nearby coconut tree.

"Each small barrel will contain ten bananas," he continued, "However, since this is two-on-one, Diddy will have to carry a bigger barrel with twenty bananas!"

Diddy's heart began to panic, but he tried his best not to look like a coward.

"The first team to bring a total of one hundred bananas to the tree wins!" finished Manky, "Now, is everyone set to go!?"

"Oh, we certainly are!" the bullies answered together.

"As if I'd be willing to be a total weakling! I'll show you!" shouted Diddy.

"As you wish, chatterbox," replied the orangutan bully.

Diddy simply gave his enemies an angry glare and walked over to his bigger barrels.

DK ran over to Diddy to provide him some last-minute encouragement, while Manky prepared his minions.

"Now, remember what we went through, little buddy," whispered DK, "Don't let the bigger barrels slow you down."

"And if they try to throw bananas in front of me, I just kick them aside, right?" replied Diddy softly.

"You got it, Diddy," said DK, giving his buddy a thumbs up, "Do you want me to see if they have any cheats up their sleeve?"

"Yes, please," answered Diddy.

"Okay, buddy."

The ape tiptoed over to Manky's minions and found that they each had three banana peels in their pockets.

DK rejoined Diddy and patted his back.

"They've each got three banana peels," he whispered to his sidekick, "You'd better be careful if they throw one at you."

"I will," replied Diddy, "I'll try my best."

"That's my boy," said DK with a faint grin, "Good luck, pal."

With that, DK walked off and rejoined the clan, just as Manky stood in between the two lanes and raised his arms up.

"As a last minute reminder, there will be no running!" announced Manky.

The bullies felt discouraged by that, but they were still feeling sure that they had a big advantage over Diddy.

"Ready!?" shouted Manky.

The three young primates all picked up their barrels.

"Set!"

The contestants lifted their barrels off the ground.

"GO!"

The bullies quickly took off from the starting line, making sure not to run, while Diddy took off slowly as he struggled with the barrel's weight.

The Kongs watched with worry as their little contestant tried his best to keep walking as fast as he could, but once they found a lot of sweat pouring down his face, they knew he would be in trouble.

A moment later, while Manky was not looking, the gorilla bully placed his barrel next to the tree and tossed it onto Diddy's path.

The monkey looked around his barrel and saw the banana peel sitting directly in his lane.

"I knew they'd cheat me!" he whispered to himself as he kicked the banana peel off his lane.

Once Diddy finally set his first barrel down, the bullies had each began the delivery of their second barrels, much to his dismay.

The monkey walked as fast as he could to his second barrel and picked it up with all the strength he had, then he began to carry it over to the tree while his rivals finished their second deliveries.

Diddy knew he wouldn't stand a chance by now. All he could do was just keep trying while the enemies pulled further away from him.

Then, while the bullies were making their final barrel runs, as Diddy was still on his fourth, they both tossed banana peels onto his path at the same time.

Diddy dodged the first one, but he didn't have enough time to react for the second one, and as a result, his foot slipped and knocked him off his balance.

The poor monkey fell off his feet and smashed his back against the sand, and the barrel came down on top of him, spilling bananas all over him.

The bullies simply laughed harshly and placed their last barrels next to the tree.

"And the winners are my minions!" announced Manky.

Diddy felt so dismayed. He had been cheated out on the very first task and was already losing one to nothing. He felt so embarrassed at that moment, yet he also felt so furious that he wanted nothing more than to make his enemies pay.

The Kongs ran down to Diddy and lifted the broken barrel pieces and spilled bananas off of him.

Diddy's face was about as red as his clothes, mixed with frustration and embarrassment.

"Ooh, it looks like your muscles are much weaker than you thought you could make them!" teased the orangutan bully.

"You really are a weakling, aren't ya!?" added the gorilla bully.

Not wanting to hear anymore of it, the Kongs turned to the bullies and glared at them.

"SHUT UP!" they all screamed together.

Convinced that they had had enough for now, the bullies ran off and rejoined their leader.

Then, the Kongs all looked at Diddy with worried faces.

Diddy had begun to tear.

"I can't believe this!" he shouted with a hint of sadness in his voice, "They cheated me on the very first task!"

"Hey, hey, it's not your fault, Diddy," said Cranky.

"Don't worry about it, little buddy," said DK, "We'll try to convince Manky to reverse this result."

Eager to make this reversed result a reality, Funky walked up to Manky and tapped his shoulder.

"Oh, what do you want now?" asked Manky harshly.

"We'd like to report that your minions cheated during that barrel lifting task," said Funky.

"Really? In what way?" said Manky.

Candy walked up and showed Manky the banana peels that Diddy had slipped on.

"So, what does that have to do with my allies?" asked Manky.

"They threw them at Diddy's path in order to immobilize him!" shouted Candy.

"It's what they call, 'gaining an illegal advantage'!" added Cranky.

"Well, guess what!?" shouted Manky, "I don't care! I am the referee, and these are my minions, so therefore you can all just zip your chatterboxes and forget it! I still win the first task, and that's that!"

With that, Manky and his bullies took off laughing.

DK and Diddy walked up to their allies, feeling very discouraged.

"I figured they wouldn't care if we tried to accuse them of cheating," said DK in a down tone.

"NOW WHAT!?" yelled Diddy furiously, "They get away with cheating, and they get to choose what I have to do next!? This is so humiliating!"

"Hey, just take a chill pill, little Diddy-dude!" said Funky, trying to calm the little monkey down, "It was only the first task. You know that you've got some courage in you by now, so whatever's next, I'm sure you'll be stealing this wacky event like an epic superstar!"

"If only I felt that way," said Diddy, not believing Funky's words.

"Diddy, little buddy, you've just got to forget all about this first task and focus on the next one. Who knows? Maybe they're the ones who will turn out to be the weak wimps," said DK, embracing Diddy in a hug.

"(gulp) I hope," replied Diddy.

"Besides, you've still got that stuff in you," whispered DK in Diddy's ear, "You can use it to your advantage and knock 'em out."

"Come on, Diddy. Let your courage sink in," said Candy.

"It'll do your world a good," added Cranky, "This could be your time to show that you are a brave little monkey."

Diddy looked at all of his allies and let out a deep sigh.

"Okay, whatever the second task will be, I'll show 'em who's the boss!" said Diddy.

"That's my boy!" chuckled DK.

The Kongs each patted Diddy's back and grinned at him.

"Excuse me, but is this dreadful conversation over yet!?" shouted Manky, walking up to the Kongs.

"Dreadful for you, yet warm for us!" Cranky shot back.

"Yes, we're finished here!" said DK.

"Now, what do you want!?" asked Candy with a glare.

Manky simply gave the Kongs an evil smile and replied …

"I just wanted to remind this puny loser that the second task shall be … -"

* * *

><p><em><strong>What will the second task be? Can Diddy make his enemies pay after being cheated in barrel lifting?<strong>_

_**Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out if Diddy will be able to extract his revenge!**_


	7. The second task

_**It's time to bring up the second task of this unforgiving challenge!**_

* * *

><p>"I just wanted to remind this puny loser that the second task shall be … the insult contest!" said Manky.<p>

Diddy's eyes grew wide in surprise. He remembered all of the practice insults he shot at the clone DK had set up for him, and he couldn't wait to use them on his real enemies.

"We'll be in Funky's hut for this one, and we'll be starting just five minutes," said Manky, and he turned away and left them alone again.

"Ooh, those idiots are gonna pay big time after cheating me like that!" said Diddy angrily.

"You show 'em, buddy!" said DK.

"Give them something they'll never forget!" added Candy.

"I really want to see them cry after what they called me yesterday!" put in Funky.

"Make 'em wanna regret bullying you!" finished Cranky.

"Oh, I will!" replied Diddy, "I'm gonna give them the worst insults anyone could ever think of! They've upset me, and now they will pay!"

"That's my boy!" said DK proudly, "Go get 'em!"

The Kongs all walked back into Funky's Flights, and, sure enough, Manky's bullies were there, giving Diddy some intimidating looks.

However, Diddy was not to be intimidated this time around. He knew what to do, and he would show his enemies how it was like to be him!

The clan all took seats surrounding the contestants, while Manky stood in the center of the house.

"Now then, let's see who really has the guts to be the most offensive primate on Kongo Bongo!" said Manky, "It's free-for-all, and whoever comes up with an insult bad enough to make the other give up and sob … will be the winner! Oh, and, … no physical involvement will be permitted."

At long last, Manky stepped away from the young contestants, and Diddy walked right up to his mortal enemies, feeling more than ready to give them a piece of his mind.

"Ready!" called Manky.

The two bullies shot frightening looks at Diddy.

"Set!" continued Manky.

Diddy responded by furiously glaring right back at the bullies.

"GO!" finished Manky.

The bullies began the contest …

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the stupid little monkey who couldn't even lift a heavy barrel!" said the orangutan bully.

"I'd still imagine you can't even lift a feather!" added the gorilla bully.

"Oh, yeah!?" Diddy shot back, "Well, I'd imagine you couldn't lift a heavy barrel simply because you're a couple of cowards, yourselves!"

"Ooh, is that so?" the bullies said together, "Well, let's say that we've never had to deal with that, unlike you because you'd rather look like a wimp than a hero."

"Then what's your excuse?" asked Diddy, "If you didn't want to be heroes, then I'd assume you wanted to be wimps, too!"

"We chose villainy because it was the best way to turn you into a total weakling!" said the gorilla.

"Total weakling, my butt!" shouted Diddy, "You probably chose villainy because you wanted your families to think you were so useless!"

The bullies were somehow taken aback by that quote. Their hearts began to pound with agony after hearing those harsh words.

"Why, you take that back, you little chatterbox loser!" yelled the orangutan.

"Oh, what if I don't!?" replied Diddy, "After all, we all know that your families had to turn against you and kick you out simply because you're the mad dogs of Kongo Bongo!"

"Oooooooooooooooooh!" the Kongs responded after hearing that.

The bullies both stared at Diddy with wide eyes, unable to believe the words that were pouring from his mouth.

"Well, since when did you become the smart mouth!?" asked the gorilla.

"I've always been the smart mouth, unlike you, whose ideas always turn you into the most hated primates of our generation!" replied Diddy.

"Why, you nasty little monkey!" shouted the orangutan, "I've never had any memory if my family having to turn me down just for trying to ruin your life!"

"You're a big, fat total liar!" said Diddy, "You just don't want to admit that you remember your family turning you down! You ruined your own life too much to remember it!"

Everyone gasped at Diddy's words, including the bullies.

"How would I have ruined my own life, when all I do is prove that you're such a pipsqueak!?" said the orangutan.

"Who knows!? Maybe it's you who's the pipsqueak!" answered Diddy, "You're both so much like pipsqueaks that one day, you'll both end up living in my shadow, because now matter how hard you try, you'll always be as slimy as your lazy families, who in turn must be as slimy as K. Rool and his cronies!"

The bullies simply stood there with their mouths wide open. They were totally embarrassed, and shocked by the words that poured from Diddy's mouth. They could not believe how offensive he had become. They were at a loss as to what to say next.

It was then that the orangutan began to leak tears from his eyes, much to Diddy's amazement.

"You horrible, little, rotten, half-pint chimpanzee!" cried the orangutan, "You're such a mean monkey that I'm gonna wanna destroy you after this!"

"Go right ahead!" replied Diddy, "After you and your pathetic gorilla friend cry home to your families and cry into your moms' faces!"

At that moment, the gorilla had also become so offended that he, too, started crying. Out of many things these bullies hated, nothing could compare to having their families insulted so harshly, especially by Diddy!

Finally, unable to stand another minute of embarrassment, the bullies finally turned their backs on Diddy and stepped away from him.

"That's it!" sobbed the gorilla.

"Enough is enough!" added the orangutan through excessive crying.

Manky stepped up to the center of the house to end the contest.

"Well, this isn't easy for me to say, … but our insult contest winner is … -"

The Kongs' hearts were all racing like the wind. They hoped to hear Diddy's name so that Kongo Bongo could live to see another contest.

"- … Diddy Kong!" said Manky finally, pointing to Diddy with an unhappy look on his face.

"YES!" shouted Diddy as his clan immediately began to applaud him.

"Alright, Diddy!" said Candy.

"Way ta go, buddy!" shouted DK.

"I will say; ya do have such a smart mouth!" added Cranky.

"Just what I wanted to hear, dude!" said Funky.

Diddy grinned at his fellow Kongs and walked up to them.

Each and every Kong exchanged a high-five with their little hero, with DK's being the biggest of all. They all felt proud of Diddy for being able to show his courage and fight back after being cheated.

"That's the way to start revenge, little buddy!" encouraged DK, "Great job!"

"Thanks, big buddy!" replied Diddy happily.

The two best buddies hugged each other briefly, then the celebration was cut off as Manky stepped up to the Kongs.

"Well, ya little brat, I sure hope you're happy, because this happiness will be short-lived!" commented Manky.

"Oh, yeah, right!" answered Diddy sarcastically, "Whatever you've got next, bring it on and I'll have your guys down!"

"Ooh, think again, punk!" said Manky, "Our final task shall be the most physically demanding of all, and we shall be meeting in front of Cranky's in exactly half an hour!"

"Oh, I'll be there, alright!" said Diddy, "I'll be there to kick your butts!"

"We'll have to see about that, ya little pipsqueak! See ya at the miserable old man's hut of horror!" commented Manky, and he turned around and left them, followed by the still-heartbroken bullies.

"Well, Diddy, you've managed to show 'em how offensive you are!" said DK, "Now it's just down to the finale that'll decide it all!"

"It's time ta make those bums pay big-time!" added Funky.

"If you can pull this off, Diddy, then I'll be considering you as a regular hero to look up to," said Cranky.

"Really?" said Diddy excitedly.

"Although, still more favorably being DK's sidekick," finished Cranky.

Diddy sank his head in disappointment.

"Ah, don't worry about that, buddy," said DK in an effort to cheer up his buddy right away, "All you need to focus on … is the big finale."

"Make them never want to show up in this jungle again!" said Candy.

"It's the only way to keep the Crystal Coconut safe from harm," added Cranky, "Do this, and all of Kongo Bongo will be safe once again!"

Diddy looked into the direction where the enemies had run off, and he flashed another glare.

"I'll do it!" he began, "I'll be the bravest little monkey on Kongo Bongo! Those worthless losers are gonna pay big-time! I'll make them never wanna bully any of us again! If they want an epic fight, then they've got it! What goes with it is gonna be a beating right to their heads! I'm gonna tear those bullies limb for limb! I'll give them the worst living nightmare they'll ever have! I'll tear them apart until they can fight no more! THIS WILL BE MY FINEST HOUR!"

The Kongs all cheered for Diddy, and DK gave his little sidekick one more hug.

"That's the spirit, little buddy!" said DK happily, "Go for it and show 'em what you're really made of!"

"Make us all proud!" said Cranky with a rare grin.

"Oh, I will!" replied Diddy, "This is for all of Kongo Bongo! HERE GOES NOTHING!"

With that, Diddy jumped off DK's lap and scurried into the jungle. The Kongs all followed him into the trees and down the pathway towards Cranky's Cabin.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, it's such a relief to say that it's now tied one-to-one! This third and final task will decide it! The fate of Kongo Bongo now truly lies in Diddy's hands!<strong>_

_**Will our little hero be able to finish off the bullies and drive Manky out for good? Will this be the day that Diddy finally receives praise for doing something heroic?**_

_**Tune in for the next chapter, in which the final task will lure Diddy into a showdown against the bullies who seek revenge after such a wild dare contest!**_


	8. The final task

_**Well, here we go! This is it! This is the moment that you've all been waiting for! It's time for the final task of Diddy Kong's challenge to protect the Crystal Coconut! Let's see how this finale will turn out!**_

* * *

><p>The Kongs caught up with Manky and his bullies right in front of Cranky's Cabin, where the Crystal Coconut was still enclosed in its globe. However, many began to wonder, "For how much longer?"<p>

Just as the Kongs met up with the villains, Manky immediately walked up to Cranky and gave him an evil grin. Cranky simply glared back.

"What is it now, you big lummox?" asked Cranky.

"I shall be asking you to open up the globe containing the Crystal Coconut immediately!" said Manky, "After all, it is the Grand Prize to whoever wins this final task."

Cranky felt hesitant towards opening the Coconut, fearing that Manky or his bullies could simply walk in at anytime and snatch it, but he knew that arguing with Manky would be useless.

So, the old ape slowly walked into his cabin and approached his pedestal. Then, he banged his stick on the floor three times to open the globe containing the Coconut.

In an instant, the shiny power source of Kongo Bongo began to illuminate the cabin.

"I sure hope those pests will be wiped out," Cranky said to himself, "If Diddy can pull this off, then maybe I could consider him a hero."

With those thoughts in mind, Cranky turned around and walked back outside.

Diddy was warming himself up for the finale. He performed several acrobatic moves which he thought could be useful in this epic fight.

"This fight will be starting in just two minutes!" called Manky in his usual-unhappy voice.

The bullies had finished warming up and felt more than ready to knock Diddy out after those harsh comments in the dare contest. They really wanted to make him look so foolish and weak, but most importantly they hated that monkey so much that they wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.

Diddy, in the other hand, was on a mission. He wanted to keep the Crystal Coconut safe, but he also wanted to show his enemies that he was a brave, strong little monkey. He would show them that he was no weakling, that he was no coward, that he was not useless, and especially that he was no loser!

"Are you ready to do this, little buddy?" DK whispered into Diddy's ear in the final moments before the fight.

"I'm ready," answered Diddy, "I'm ready to tear these guys apart limb for limb."

"Go on and give them everything you've got," encouraged DK, "We're all counting on you. Make this count, and this day will be yours."

"Make this your finest hour, kid," added Cranky, "The fate of the Crystal Coconut lies in your hands."

"This island will have a brave little hero once you've shown these fools what you're made of," said Funky.

"Time to send them right back to Vine Valley," said Candy, "They'll be just fine there."

"You do this, Diddy, and this could be the biggest achievement you've done yet," finished DK.

"Ooh, this is gonna be wild. I'm gonna give those idiots a piece of everything I have," replied Diddy, "They'll be sorry they ever showed up."

"Do it!" shouted DK.

With that, Diddy finally stepped up to the open boardwalk in front of the cabin and once again confronted the primates whom had bullied him for so long.

Manky stepped out of the way, and the bullies both shot glares at Diddy, who simply glared right back.

"You'll be sorry you ever turned up," teased Diddy.

"You'll be sorry you ever accepted this challenge," replied the orangutan bully.

"And you'll be sorry you blew those insults at us," added the gorilla bully.

"Whatever, you mindless primates!" shouted Diddy, "Show me whatcha got, 'cus I'm ready to knock you out!"

"As you wish, you pathetic chimpanzee!" answered the bullies in unison.

"GO!" shouted Manky.

With that, the bullies both charged at Diddy, but the monkey jumped before they could tackle him.

The bullies ended up falling to the floor as Diddy came down and landed right on the gorilla's back. Then, he jumped onto the orangutan's back and gave him a slight crack.

"OW!" yelled the orangutan in pain.

The gorilla got back up as Diddy came down to the floor.

Taking advantage of Diddy's back being turned on him, the gorilla ran up to Diddy and smashed his arm against his back before he could react.

Diddy went down on his chest as the pain shot into his back as if a bowling ball crashing into him.

Then, the orangutan got back up and prepared to step on Diddy, but the monkey got back up and spun himself around to face his enemies.

"Thought you could be so slick, huh!?" teased Diddy.

"Ooh, you'll be calling yourself a wimp once we're finished with you!" said the gorilla.

Diddy jumped and somersaulted over the bullies. Then, he swung his right leg and kicked the orangutan right in the face.

The orangutan cried in pain as his face was struck, and he just about fell flat on his back when his partner pulled him back up.

"Quit messing around, and let's take that loser down!" shouted the gorilla.

The orangutan turned back to Diddy, who was now beginning to charge at them.

The gorilla quickly judged the moment, and just as Diddy was about to strike him down, the bully closed his fist and punched Diddy right in the face.

Diddy was thrown backwards by the punch, and he once again tumbled down as a bruise quickly formed on his lip where he was hit.

The Kongs gasped in shock as they watched their little hero get nailed in the face.

Then, as Diddy tried to get himself up again, the orangutan jumped and landed right on Diddy's back, pinning him down in a squeeze.

"Well, it looks like you won't have much to say for long," said the orangutan, "Let's finish him off!"

The gorilla walked in front of Diddy's face and grinned evilly at him. Then, he kicked the monkey's face.

More pain developed as Diddy's face received its worst beating ever.

Then, the gorilla kicked Diddy again, this time on his right eye.

The Kongs almost couldn't keep their eyes fixed on the melee as Diddy's face was heavily brutalized.

Diddy managed to open his left eye, but his right eye had become too painful to open, as it had turned dark purple.

The monkey angrily glared at the gorilla and tried to get back up, but the orangutan was still weighing him down.

"You may get off him now," said the gorilla to his partner.

The orangutan finally stood up and got off Diddy's back.

In an instant, Diddy's back felt so worn that he almost couldn't move.

Then, the gorilla grabbed Diddy's chin and lifted him up off the ground. Finally, he closed his fist and prepared to punch him again.

The Kongs watched in disbelief as Diddy was about to be horribly beaten down.

As his enemy prepared to finish him off, Diddy felt so torn up inside. He was sure it was all over. He had lost, the Kongs had lost the Crystal Coconut, the bullies had proved him to be a weak, useless wimp, the lessons DK had given him had proven useless, and it was all his fault.

As Diddy pondered these sad thoughts, he began to feel a rush of adrenaline sink into his veins. His will to protect the Crystal Coconut was bringing him back up. The banana juice he had drank was filling up his system, and in no time his courage had lifted his will to take down his opponents.

With his last rush of adrenaline, Diddy slightly opened his blackened right eye and gave the gorilla a death glare.

The bully was somewhat surprised by the look on Diddy's face, but his fist remained ready to knock him out.

Then, by total surprise, Diddy pressed his fingers against the gorilla's arm and scratched it as hard as he could.

"AAAAAAOOOOOOOWWWWW!" the gorilla screamed in pain as his arm received several tears on his fur.

With the pain being too much to bear, the gorilla dropped Diddy and pressed his other hand on his wounded arm.

Diddy immediately got back up and wrapped his tail around the gorilla's leg. Then, he threw the leg up and flipped the bully onto his back.

The orangutan came up behind Diddy and attempted to punch him, but the monkey spun himself around and kicked the orangutan right on the chin.

"OOWWW!" yelled the orangutan as he took several steps back.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU LITTLE WIMPS! END THIS NOW! I WANT THAT CRYSTAL COCONUT!" screamed Manky.

Diddy turned back to the gorilla, who looked like he was preparing to throw a big punch at him.

With his bravery and adrenaline rush having taken over his entire body, Diddy ran up to the gorilla and powered up one of his fists.

"BANAAANAAAAA SLAMMAAAAAAA!" yelled Diddy as he threw his fist at the gorilla and smashed him in the chest.

The gorilla instantly felt a sharp pain in his chest as his nemesis delivered the huge blow.

As that happened, the orangutan once again came up behind Diddy and tried to jump on top of him once more, but Diddy grabbed the orangutan's ankles and, using all the strength his muscles had, he threw him towards the cabin.

The orangutan crashed head first into the wall next to Cranky's door and fell to the floor afterward. He did not move again after that.

"OH, YOU ARE SO DEAD NOW, YA WORTHLESS LITTLE KNUCKLEHEAD!" yelled the gorilla, "YOU ARE A DEAD MONKEY!"

"REALLY!?" replied Diddy, "SHOW ME IF YA REALLY CAN KILL ME!"

The Kongs felt shocked as they heard those words, but they tried to stay as calm as possible in anticipation of seeing Diddy end this melee.

Still with a bit of strength left, and with one last plan up his sleeve to fight Diddy, the gorilla, despite his chest pain, once again charged up his fist in an effort to render his enemy weak.

However, Diddy jumped and came down right on the bully's head.

The gorilla fell onto his back while Diddy stood on top of his chest and threw multiple punches at his face.

The gorilla felt weaker with each punch Diddy threw at him. He felt as if he could stand no more. He could fight no longer. His worst nightmare was coming true; Diddy beating him down with such unusual strengths for someone his size.

Diddy punched the gorilla's face several more times before he finally hopped off and took a few steps back to watch the bully in case he tried to get back up again.

However, in just a few more seconds, the gorilla slowly closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The Kongs all stood up and threw applause and cheers at Diddy.

"YEEEESSSS!" screamed DK.

"THAT WAS SO INSTANT KARMA!" yelled Funky.

"I am so impressed!" said Cranky.

"I can't believe what I just saw!" added Candy.

Manky was furious. His plot to steal the Crystal Coconut had failed. His bullies had proven themselves useless against Diddy after such a wild finale. His heart was shattering with hopelessness.

"NAAAAAAAOOOOOOO!" the villainous orangutan screamed as loud as he could, "AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

"IN YOUR FACE, MANKY!" replied Diddy, pointing his finger at the villain, "IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE THE PIPSQUEAK, NOW THAT YOUR FRIENDS ARE DOWN!"

Manky was deeply offended upon hearing those words. He hated being called a "pipsqueak" just as much as Diddy hated it.

"Oh, you dare call me a pipsqueak!?" the orangutan shouted, "HOW DARE YOU!?"

"How dare you show up and even bother trying to get your hands on my Crystal Coconut!?" shouted Cranky into Manky's face.

"YOU CHEATED ME! YOU ALL CHEATED ME!" yelled Manky.

"Cheated!? Your minions cheated me in that barrel lifting task, and you let them get away with it!" reminded Diddy, "SO, WHAT'S THE POINT OF ACCUSING US NOW!?"

"Heroes never cheat their way to victory!" added DK, "You have no right to accuse us, now that it's all over!"

"Maybe I do still have a reason!" said Manky, then he suddenly revealed an empty banana juice bottle right in the Kongs' faces.

The heroes all gasped in shock as they glimpsed at the empty bottle.

"Manky, have you lost your mind!? Where did you get that!?" asked Candy, looking as if she had run out of patience.

"I found this behind your desk!" yelled Manky to DK, "I sniffed into it and found that banana juice was inside!"

Diddy's heart began to pound heavily after seeing the events unfolding in front of him. It was then that Manky turned to Diddy with a death glare.

"YOU CHEATED!" screamed Manky, "YOU ARE NO HERO, YA LITTLE, USELESS WEAKLING! YOU'RE JUST A PATHETIC, ANNOYING, WIMPY KID, AND AFTER FINDING OUT THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON DRUGS, I'M SURE THAT'S ALL YOU'LL EVER BE! YOU ARE A MINDLESS, BANANA-SUCKING LOSER … WHO WILL NEVER PROVE ANYTHING TO ANYONE! WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY NOW, JERK!?"

Diddy could stand it no longer. He had become so embarrassed that he wanted to run off and hide from his clan forever. How could Manky have stumbled into DK's house and found the empty juice bottles behind the desk? How could this orangutan have proved him to be a worthless monkey?

The Kongs all looked at Diddy with sad faces. They all felt so bad for him after being revealed as a cheater, but they, along with Diddy, felt even more devastated that Manky could now have the Crystal Coconut in his grasp.

"Well, you worthless Kongs, I'd love to stay, but I must claim my prize, for you are disqualified!" shouted Manky, and he walked into Cranky's Cabin and grabbed the Crystal Coconut from the pedestal, "IT'S MINE! IT'S ALL MINE! THE CRYSTAL COCONUT AND ALL OF KONGO BONGO IS MINE!"

Manky let out some evil laughs that echoed throughout the Cabin as he walked back outside with the Coconut in his hands.

"Well, maybe I could stay for just a minute or two," he said as he stepped out, "Any last words before I send you to your doom?"

The Kongs were all speechless. They were completely lost for words from the horror that had struck their hearts. No one would open their mouths.

Then, Diddy finally broke the minute-long silence.

"I do have something to say," he said.

Manky grinned evilly at Diddy and replied, "Well, you little pipsqueak, perhaps we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say after being proven guilty."

Diddy looked up at the Kongs. Tears poured from his eyes and streamed down his face as he struggled to come up with the right words.

"You know something? You're right," the monkey began his depressing speech, "Maybe I am nothing but just a worthless monkey."

"Aw, come on, Diddy. Don't make yourself feel worse," said DK.

But Diddy ignored him and went on …

"I'm already feeling as bad as I could ever feel!" he shouted, "Even after so much practicing against bullies, … -"

DK sank his head in guilt.

"- … or a lot of encouragement from my good friends, … -"

The rest of the Kongs sank their heads in sorrow.

"- … I may have shown that I can fight others my size, … (sniffle) … and … (sniffle) … I could make bullies regret picking on me, … b-but … (sniffle) … even after all of what's happened today, … (sniffle) … (sniffle) … I'm still nothing! I'm nothing but just a stupid little kid!"

The Kongs all began to cry after listening to Diddy beating himself up once again.

"It was all because of a huge vat of banana juice that I was able to beat them, … (sniffle) … but on the inside, … (sniffle) … I'm still just a useless little annoying pipsqueak who just gets in everyone's way! Nothing I do ever impresses anyone! I can never prove myself in anything! I've never won a fight, … (sniffle) … and I probably never will!"

Diddy began to break down emotionally as he continued with his speech.

"If I can't … (sniffle) … m-make anyone happy, … (sniffle) … then maybe I don't even belong in this clan! Why do I even bother!? (sniffle) Why do I ever ask anyone to help them if all I do is just get in the way and ruin everything!? What's the point of even living on Kongo Bongo!? (sniffle) None of you ever treat me like a hero, so what's the point of even trying when I'll only become even more of a disgrace!? Why did I even go on that adventure with you, DK!? Maybe I don't even wanna be your sidekick anymore, either!"

DK was heartbroken after hearing that.

At this point, Diddy began to feel so infuriated within himself that he began to scream.

"WHY DO I BOTHER!? WHAT'S THE POINT OF TRYING TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYONE WHEN I DON'T DESERVE TO BE ANYONE'S BUDDY!? I'M EVEN WORSE THAN A SECOND BANANA! I DON'T EVEN BELONG ON THIS ISLAND! I'M NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING! IF ALL I DESERVE IS TO BE PUSHED AND BULLIED AROUND, THEN I MIND AS WELL JUST RUN OFF AND DISAPPEAR FOREVER!"

The Kongs' hearts all exploded as they listened to the very depressing words that blew out of Diddy's mouth. They knew he didn't deserve this, and they knew he was not what he now thought he was.

Then, Diddy turned to Manky and tried his best to give him an angry look.

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU, YOUR BULLIES AND THAT IDIOT, K. ROOL HAD TO RUIN MY LIFE! YOU'VE TURNED ME INTO A WORTHLESS PEST! I HATE YOU JUST AS MUCH AS I HATE MY LIFE, AND I COULD ONLY FEEL LIKE TEARING YOU APART IF I HAD THE HEART TO DO IT! I DON'T HAVE THE HEART FOR ANYTHING!" screamed Diddy.

Then, not caring what he did, Diddy ran up to Manky and, much to the Kongs' surprise, knocked him to the ground as he hadn't expected such a wild charge.

However, the orangutan managed to keep the Crystal Coconut in his hands as he tried to get back up.

Then, Diddy kicked Manky's back and shoved him onto the boardwalk with the unconscious gorilla bully before immediately looking away in an explosion of tears.

Little did he know that the Crystal Coconut had slipped out of Manky's hands and rolled in front of the door after he had kicked him, but he was too torn up inside to pay any attention.

The orangutan's back took such a bad hit that just about made it impossible for him to get back up.

"Uh, Diddy?" said DK in an effort to gain his buddy's attention.

But Diddy wouldn't listen to anyone at this point. Instead, he walked up to the unconscious orangutan bully and kicked him onto the boardwalk with his villainous allies. Then, he walked up to one of the barrel traps and prepared to jump on it.

"YA WANNA TAKE OVER KONGO BONGO, GO RIGHT AHEAD! BE MY GUEST!" screamed Diddy, still not noticing that the Crystal Coconut was no longer in Manky's hands, "GO AHEAD! TAKE THAT STUPID COCONUT WITH YOU AND BE GONE!"

With that, Diddy finally jumped onto the barrel switch and powered up the trap, unaware of what was about to happen …

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, just as it seems that Diddy has proven himself a disgrace, and just when it seems that all hope is gone, it looks like he may still have some luck that he hasn't noticed yet.<strong>_

_**Will Diddy be brought to reality by the events about to take place? Will the Kongs be able to put a smile on our little hero's face?**_

_**That will all be coming up in the final chapter, which I'll be planning for tonight! Stay tuned!**_


	9. Kongo Bongo is safe again!

_**Well, here we go. The last chapter of this twisty cartoon-based story! Let's see what the Kongs will do in an effort to bring the happiness back to Diddy.**_

* * *

><p>Diddy Kong smashed his feet on the barrel switch as hard as he could, with tears streaming down his reddened cheeks. Not caring about what happened to the Crystal Coconut, he only wanted to get rid of Manky, even if it risked throwing the Coconut away.<p>

Then, the monkey instantly began to feel a ton of regret sinking into his heart, …

… but it was too late.

The planks of Cranky's boardwalk flipped over, and the three villains were ultimately thrown into the sky and tossed over the trees like toys.

Within a few seconds, they were all gone, and everything grew silent.

Diddy jumped off the barrel switch and sunk his head in defeat. He could not believe what had just become of him. He had proven himself wrong. The bullies were right. He really was a useless, lightweight, wimpy weakling who could only get in everyone's way and embarrass himself.

Still feeling sure that the Crystal Coconut was now gone forever, he sank his head and slowly walked up to the other Kongs.

"Hey, Diddy," said DK in a soft, gentle voice, patting his little buddy's back in an effort to provide him any means of comfort.

However, the poor monkey pushed DK's arm away and stared at his family and friends with a terrible look on his face. The mixture of red cheeks, excessive tears and a black eye brought very sad feelings for the Kongs, but they all knew for a reason that their little hero didn't have to feel this way.

"D-Diddy?" whispered DK with tears leaking from his eyes.

"What do you all want from me now?" asked Diddy sadly, "Why would I wanna talk to anyone after what happened today?"

"Diddy, w-we're very sorry," said DK.

"You're probably just saying that to make me feel better, aren't you!?" argued Diddy, feeling too upset to speak to anybody.

"Diddy, you've … -" Cranky began, before Diddy cut him off.

"I've let Manky take off with the Crystal Coconut! I know! You can all just go ahead and hate me for all I care! All I've ever done is get in your way! What's the point in being friends with any of you, when I don't even deserve to have any friends!?" shouted Diddy.

After speaking those last few words, Diddy sank his head and began to sob miserably with regret.

"Aww, Diddy, please don't cry, little buddy," said DK, patting Diddy's back again.

"It's okay, Diddy," said Candy, "You've … -"

"GO AWAY! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" screamed Diddy, and he shoved DK's arm off his back and finally ran away, weeping loudly like a little baby as he disappeared into the jungle.

The Kongs watched in heartbreak as their little friend took off crying.

"Aww, the poor little guy," said Candy as she let some tears out of her eyes.

"What a total bummer," said Funky in a down tone, "He didn't deserve such a wave like that."

"Well, I guess we can feel happy that the Crystal Coconut is still here," said Cranky, as he pointed to the front door of his Cabin.

The Crystal Coconut was, indeed, still sitting in front of the doorway after Diddy unknowingly kicked it out of his hands.

"Yet he still thinks that it's forever in the hands of Manky," said Cranky.

The primates felt very happy that they managed to retain the Crystal Coconut, but they still felt terrible about Diddy.

"Well, that's because he was too sad to pay attention to that," DK pointed out, "All he wanted to do was get rid of Manky and those wild bullies, and he didn't care about whether or not the Crystal Coconut was tossed up with them."

"You know, it may be nice that we've still got the Coconut, but I really think we should cheer up our little hero, shall we?" suggested Candy.

"At least we can try," replied DK, "We've gotta make him feel like a hero again."

"How can we do that, DK?" asked Cranky, "It'll be very hard to convince him."

Then, a light bulb went off in DK's head; a very useful light bulb, for that matter.

"Quick! Cranky, grab the Crystal Coconut!" said DK.

"The Coconut!?" shouted Cranky.

"If we can at least show it to Diddy, then it'll be enough to tell him that he didn't do the wrong thing," explained DK.

"Oh, fine then!" replied Cranky unhappily, and he walked back to his doorway and picked up the Crystal Coconut.

"Now what?" asked Funky.

"Isn't it obvious? We're gonna go look for Diddy," said DK, "He could be anywhere. Who knows if he went straight home from here?"

"Well, maybe it'd be worth a shot at looking in your house first," suggested Candy.

"Okay, then," answered DK, "Let's give it a try."

With those deep thoughts on their minds, DK led his clan into the jungle and down the pathway towards his home where Diddy also lived.

Ten minutes later, the four apes had stepped in front of the elevator to DK and Diddy's tree house.

"Well, here it goes," whispered DK nervously as he slammed the "Up" button on the elevator's control panel.

DK, Candy, Funky and Cranky all stepped into the elevator and rode the barrel up into the tree house.

Shortly afterward, they heard the sound of soft crying coming from nearby. They knew immediately who it was.

The Kongs walked over to Diddy's tire, and, sure enough, there was the little monkey, sobbing miserably and slumping lazily like a weak little monkey all over again. His arms were hanging down, and his tail rested over his chest.

The clan felt sorry to see their little hero so upset, and they wanted to do whatever it took to cheer him up.

Then, Diddy finally looked to his right and noticed the Kongs all looking at him with sad faces. He immediately began to feel annoyed again.

"(sniffle) W-what are you all doing here?" he asked in such a miserable voice, "W-why are you all j-just … (sniffle) … standing there and looking at me with … (sniffle) … s-sorrowful faces?"

"Diddy, we all know you're upset about the contest and everything, but you still proved that you're a great fighter," said DK gently.

"You even told me y-you … (sniffle) … knew M-Manky was gonna accuse m-m-me of … (sniffle) … cheating!" cried Diddy.

"But that didn't mean that we knew it was gonna happen," said DK, "We were just trying to warn you in case he did."

"(sniffle) W-what was the point of that, though?" asked Diddy, "How could he have … (sniffle) … s-suddenly proved m-me to be … (sniffle) … a dirty cheater before the finale even started!?"

"Aw, Diddy, please stop taking it so hard on yourself. This wasn't your fault, little buddy," said DK.

"None of it was," added Candy.

"You're just saying that again, … (sniffle) … aren't you!?" shouted Diddy, his anger beginning to mix in with his sadness again.

"No, we're not," said Funky, "You really did prove yourself as a brave, little hero!"

"Yet there's no way to prove it!" argued Diddy, "(sniffle) The Crystal Coconut's gone, … (sniffle) … f-forever in the hands of M-Manky, … (sniffle) … (sniffle) … all because I'm just a s-stupid kid!"

"Okay, little buddy," said DK, folding his arms and giving Diddy a strange face, "If you're just gonna argue with us, then we'll have to prove it to you … the hard way!"

"Really!? As if you're all hoping that I don't run away and leave Kongo Bongo f-forever … (sniffle) … b-before you get a chance to!" yelled Diddy.

At last, Diddy could take no more embarrassment with the other Kongs, and he jumped off his tire and started to make a run for the elevator again, when DK pulled him back by the tail and sat down, dragging the monkey onto his lap and wrapping his arms around his chest to squeeze him in.

"LET ME GO, YA BIG GORILLA!" screamed Diddy, "I NEVER WANNA TALK TO ANYONE AGAIN AFTER A HORRIBLE DAY LIKE THIS!"

At that moment, Cranky stepped in front of DK and Diddy, and ultimately presented …

… the Crystal Coconut!

Diddy took one look at the Coconut and gasped in shock.

"WHA!?" he yelled in total surprise.

He could not believe it at all! The Crystal Coconut was still in the hands of the Kongs, yet he had no idea how it could still be here after he tossed Manky out of the jungle.

"But, … h-how!? What!? Where d-did!? Whaa!?" shouted Diddy, still trying to register the sight of the Coconut into his head.

"Diddy!" said Cranky, "You never did toss the Coconut out!"

"B-but, … I thought I … -" Diddy began before being cut off again.

"No, Diddy. The Coconut never left," said Candy.

"That wild kick really shoved it out of his grasp, dude!" said Funky.

"What are you all talking about!?" asked Diddy in confusion.

"When you kicked Manky's back, he lost his grip on the Crystal Coconut before he slid onto the boardwalk," explained DK, "The Coconut came down and rolled in front of the door before you tossed Manky and the bullies out. It was there all along, but you didn't notice it."

Diddy was totally astounded by those details, but he somehow thought that it could still be false.

"Y-you mean, … I, … I … tossed the Coconut out of his hands, b-but I felt too sad to notice it!?" asked Diddy, wanting to be sure of it.

"Yes, little buddy!" said DK, "You actually saved the Coconut! You tossed Manky out of the ring and saved the Crystal Coconut!"

"This is no false story! It's all true!" said Cranky, "You've saved Kongo Bongo from the doom that had been at stake for the past two days! You really are a brave, little hero, Diddy, m'boy!"

Diddy was very surprised to hear those words from Cranky. He could not believe the story that had unfolded before his very eyes. He was not a worthless weakling, and he was certainly not a useless little wimp.

"There, there, little buddy," said DK gently, "Why don't we dry those tears off your face and turn your frown into a smile?"

"Take a chill pill, Diddy-dude," said Funky, "You've really caught on with the roots of heroism after such an epic event! You've given those little troublemakers the instant karma they've deserved all their lives!"

"You see, Diddy," added Candy, "There's nothing to get so upset about. You've thrown out Manky, and now the Coconut is safe again!"

"And, given how you stood up to him at the very end, I'm sure he won't be returning for a while, and neither will those bullies," said Cranky.

"I'm sure they still think you've won the challenge!" put in DK, "I'll bet they'll never think of you as a cheater! No one ever will! Besides, they're probably considering abandoning Manky's payroll and going off on their own again! After all, you really have proven yourself as a wonderful little hero! You have become a very brave young monkey, and we are all very proud of you, Diddy! Well done!"

Diddy suddenly felt very happy after receiving so much praise from his family and friends. Just a moment earlier he felt like the biggest disgrace on Kongo Bongo, yet suddenly here he was: a hero, a true apprentice to DK, and most of all, possibly even DK's heir to the throne of Kongo Bongo!

"Thank you all so much, everyone!" the little monkey shouted with joy and happy tears, "I've never felt this happy in my life! I'm so sorry I ever doubted you or myself! I'm so sorry I yelled at you and threatened to run away from Kongo Bongo!"

"Aw, it's okay, little Diddy-buddy," replied DK as the other Kongs sat down with the two heroes.

"We've all had our rough moments in life, but there's always a way to make up for them, and you've done just that," said Candy.

"Today has been so totally epic!" added Funky, "Those bad guys have gotten the beatings of their lives, and now we can all just simply relax and enjoy our epic win!"

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I had better put this back in my cabin," said Cranky, and he turned back to the elevator, with the Crystal Coconut, "If any of you need me again, I'll be back to doing business as usual."

With that, the old codger pressed the "down" button on the control panel and stepped into the elevator and rode the barrel back down.

"Well, Diddy, my little pal, why don't we just relax for a little while and take a little rest? After all, you look like you deserve a much-needed rest after such a wild contest," suggested DK.

"Sure thing, big Donkey-buddy! After beating up a couple of bullies, I could sure do with a nice nap right on your lap," replied Diddy.

The Kongs all giggled for a few brief moments before Funky and Candy stood up and walked up to the elevator's control panel.

"Well, gotta catch some epic waves, dudes!" said Funky.

"I better get to the Barrelworks before Bluster cuts me off," said Candy.

"Bye, guys!" said DK and Diddy together.

"See ya, dudes!" replied Funky.

"Talk to you two later," said Candy.

The elevator popped up, and Candy pressed the "down" button before she and Funky stepped in and went back down, leaving DK and Diddy alone in their own house.

"Well, little buddy, it's just you and me now. Home sweet home like a couple of brothers!" chuckled DK playfully, wiggling his fingers on Diddy's feet.

Diddy giggled in ticklishness as his best buddy wrapped his arms around his chest and hugged him very tightly.

"Thank you so much, DK," said Diddy softly, "I really couldn't have done this without you. You've been a really big help."

"You're very welcome, Diddy," replied DK happily, "It may not have exactly gone according to plan, but at least we've retained the Crystal Coconut, and you've become a very brave little hero, and a little stronger, too."

"I'm somehow glad you've shown me how to be brave," said Diddy, "Even if it didn't work out well in the contest, I'm still happy to have become a little braver and stronger."

"That's my boy," said DK, "That's my good little buddy."

"Oh, DK!" chuckled Diddy, blushing in embarrassment.

"Aw, Diddy!" replied DK playfully, "Let's go lie down on my hammock."

"Sure thing, big buddy," agreed Diddy.

DK stood up and carried Diddy over to the big hammock where the ape always slept. Then, he lied down on the hammock while Diddy rested on DK's chest and wrapped his arms around his neck. In turn, DK wrapped his arms around Diddy's back.

The ape rocked the hammock slightly to give his buddy some relaxing sensations.

Gradually, Diddy fell asleep right on top of DK's chest and was seemingly grinning as he began to snooze off.

DK felt happy to give his little sidekick some much needed rest after such a wacky morning against a couple of bullies.

As for Diddy, he was very happy to have finally proven himself as a apprenticed hero. He knew that it may not be the biggest achievement he would ever pull off, but for now he was happy that Kongo Bongo was safe again, and he was especially happy that the Kongs began to see the heroism that was within his big heart.

Thus, Diddy's prize would be a gentle, relaxing nap with DK, on the ape's hammock; a much-needed well-deserved nap for a heroic job well done!

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><p><em><strong>Well, … this is it, folks! The Crystal Coconut is safe again! Kongo Bongo is safe again, and it's all thanks to Diddy Kong! The young monkey has overcome his lack of bravery and lack of courage, he's given his bullying enemies the beating that they've deserved, and Manky will be a threat to the Kongs no more!<strong>_

_**It looks like Diddy's heroic days are just beginning! Today will only be the first out of many times in the future where the Kongs will look at Diddy and shout out three cheers for his bravery, courage and heroism!**_

_**In that case, let this wild episode end with three cheers for Diddy!**_

"_**HIP, HIP, HOORAY!"**_

"_**HIP, HIP, HOORAY!"**_

"_**HIP, HIP, HOORAY!"**_

_**Um, okay, I'm embarrassing myself now. I should stop with the "cheers" thing and just conclude that I had one heck of a time writing this story! I had spent several months thinking of a DKC Cartoon-based fanfic, and I sure hope that you have all enjoyed the wacky action and the occasional Kong-style humor! It's been a wild week, and I hope to do another one sometime soon, but for now it's time for me to say, …**_

"_**Goodnight, … and good luck."**_


End file.
